In this part 2 of 2 episodes on CGMs, Dr. Toni shares her surprising experience using a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) over 14 days. She describes how her focus changed from watching for glucose levels that were too high to glucose levels that were too low. Tracking glucose levels can help support your energy and brain health, as well as reducing risk of disease like diabetes.
The downside of hyperglycemia (when your glucose levels are too high) and hypoglycemic episodes (when your glucose levels are too low)
How CGMs can help you discover the best food combinations for stable blood sugar levels
How eating snacks sweetened with stevia might not be your solution to blood sugar spikes and dips
See for Episode 133 (re-release of Episode 32) for Dr. Toni’s breakfast bar recipe and Episode 85 (re-release of Episode 10) for Dr. Toni’s hemp protein power ball recipe.
Today’s Mama Must-Have:
Dr. Toni recommends making your food intake a top priority instead of being a second (or third) thought after feeding your kids and all the other things we manage as parents.
What’s Else is Happening?
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing session for expecting parents looking to decrease fear and anxiety to support their natural instincts around labour and birth is next month. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Join Dr. Lisa’s new Facebook group Wild Woman Adventures Toronto if you want to get out in nature, connect with other women and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Activities include: sunrise/sunset SUP, tree-top trekking, a new moon workshop and more!
We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer:The information provided is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this re-released episode from October 2020, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss why we crave sugar and how it impacts your health negatively in more ways than you might realize. We also uncover some effective behavioural and replacement hacks to get those cravings under control (and possibly quit sugar!).
What’s the big deal about sugar?
Your sugar intake is likely much higher than the sugar intake of your ancestors – the average American intake of sugar (mostly from fruit and veggies) in the late 1800s and early 1900s was 15 grams a day. Now the average adult intake is 55 grams a day and 73 grams a day for adolescents.
Not long ago, Type 2 Diabetes used to be called Adult Onset Diabetes. They had to change the name because more and more kids were developing diabetes that wasn’t typical juvenile diabetes (now known as Type 1 Diabetes).
In a study of 154 countries, scientists found that adding 150 calories a day to the diet barely raised the risk of diabetes in the population, but if those 150 calories came from regular soda, the risk of diabetes went up by 700 percent.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni cover:
What is sugar
How to find out how much added sugar is in your food
How much sugar is healthy for you
The impact of sugar on your health
Strategies to change your sugar habits
There are 2 categories of sugar:
Naturally occurring sugar: found in food, eg. fruit, milk, almonds!
Fibre, protein and fat also found in that food will slow down release of sugar into bloodstream for better blood sugar balance
Nutrients needed to process sugar already included
Added sugar: sugar added to processed foods eg. pop, baked goods, yogurt, salad dressings, salsa and other sauces
What is sugar?
Sucrose – table sugar from sugar cane or beets
Fructose, glucose, lactose and anything ending with -ose
Honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice
Concentrated juice
High fructose corn syrup AKA glucose-fructose
Sugar can impact your immune system function:
1 tsp of sugar decreases certain kinds of immune function by 50%, recent research shows it’s even more important when you’re fighting off a bacterial infection, like urinary tract infection or strep throat.
Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) can be carcinogenic and drive the cancerous process; recent research is looking at low carb ketogenic diet to treat cancer
High fructose corn syrup is known to cause bloating and gas!
How do you know how much sugar is in your food?
You can read the Nutrition Facts label of all processed food
Look at serving size first –
Check protein and fat grams
Check carbohydrate and sugar grams
Subtract fibre grams from carbohydrate grams for net carbohydrate amount
Compare labels, read ingredients lists and choose one that has less or no added sugar. Avoid products that have a type of sugar listed in the first 3 ingredients.
The American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than 6 tsp per day (1 tsp equals 4 grams).
Sugar can increase your risk of:
Diabetes
Heart disease
Obesity
Fatty liver
Inflammation
Increased blood pressure
Dental decay
Alzheimer’s and dementia (which is being called “Type 3 diabetes of the brain”)
Acne
Hormonal imbalances such as PCOS
Anxiety and mood swings
Early aging
Your brain is wired for sugar! The more you eat, the more you want. We have evolved to seek out sugar for survival, but we have access to an abundance of sugar now. It’s important to hack into your evolutionary instinct to reach for sugary foods by looking at your behaviours around sugar.
How do you use sugary foods?
Routine, automatic or mindless intake
Instead, drink a glass of water or tea
As a reward
Instead, try a non-food reward like reading a book, watching a movie or TV show, calling a friend
For energy
Instead, look for root cause for low energy and address it – check out Episode 18
Tips to Change Your Sugar Habits:
Set a timer to distract yourself with another activity if you have a sugar craving
Drink a glass or water
Brush your teeth and floss after dinner to prevent late night snacking
Drink something bitter or acidic like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to cleanse your palate
Eat or drink something healthy that is naturally sweet, like rooibos tea or an apple with almond or hazelnut butter
Today’s Mama Must Haves:
Dr. Toni is a big fan of documentary films for entertaining education around topics like sugar and recommends Fed Up Movie and That Sugar Film for more info and motivation to kick the sugar habit.
Dr. Lisa recommends this chocolate avocado pudding recipe as a healthy treat without added sugar.
What’s Else is Happening?
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing session for expecting parents looking to decrease fear and anxiety to support their natural instincts around labour and birth is happening this fall. Join her at https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/register
Dr. Lisa’s Wild Collective Masterclasses are happening this week and enrollment is open till mid-October- find out more about this revolutionary and international program. Follow Lisa on instagram @drlisaweeksND – link to masterclass is in her BIO and we will share the registration link in the show notes.
Thank you for joining us today!
Connect with us at our website www.perimenopausalmamas.com, on Facebook and on Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer:The information provided is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
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