Step 1: The Blood Sugar Effect, Eating to Balance Hormones and Mood

Let me just say, THIS IS NOT A DIET. This is a permanent change in your lifestyle and eating habits. Big difference! The way you eat affects your mood, energy levels, hormones, brain function, the level of inflammation you have, your risk of cancer, and more! This is why it's the first step in self-care.

This is a great place to start if losing weight is your goal. It's also important if you have a yeast overgrowth in your body (Candida Albicans), which you may recognize by fatigue, brain fog, sugar cravings, immune system weakness, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections to name a few. If you suffer from Type 2 diabetes, following a low glycemic diet is critical to reversal. Other conditions that will be impacted by this change include cancer, heart disease, auto-immune disorders, and inflammatory conditions, including IBDs, just to name a few.

It takes about 6 weeks to break old habits and begin forming new ones. So, stick to it, be patient, and wait for the amazing, life- changing effects to take place! Not all of these conditions will Be addressed immediately but in time you should see some positive changes in them.

Eat According to the Glycemic Index

Your body loves glucose. Because it is always available in your bloodstream, it's your body's first choice for fuel. When you eat sugar, or anything that breaks down the sugar in the body (such as a banana or a bagel) the blood sugar levels in your body rise. When blood sugar is elevated, insulin is produced by the pancreas to bring the blood sugar back down. Insulin is also a fat-storing hormones! This is what is happening in your body when you eat something high in sugar or carbs: your blood sugar spikes and you feel energetic, but later your blood sugar plummets and you feel exhausted, cranky, and hungry. This roller coaster situation continues all day, every day for most people, creating a continuous appetite, food cravings, fatigue, and mood swings. It is also very stressful on the body, so the body makes the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol can make you feel tired, hungry, lower your metabolism, and encourage belly fat where cortisol receptor sites are abundant. By eating low glycemic foods, we avoid the spikes and dips of blood sugar and begin to have normal hunger levels, decreased appetite, increased energy, and improved mood. Sounds great, right? Well there is more. You will also lose all the weight you need to lose following this plan, easily and without excessive hunger or food cravings.

How We Burn Fat

Since your body burns fat only after it burns glucose, the key to weight loss for most people is in reducing that glucose first so we can burn fat. By following a low glycemic index diet, you will reduce that glucose and train your body to use more body fat for fuel. We have thousands of calories of body fat energy at all times, so you will never find yourself running low on energy this way. Also, when we burn fat, the body produces ketones. This byproduct of the fat burning process is awesome fuel for the brain and gives you a heightened sense of mental focus and clarity. If you eat too much sugar and carbs, insulin levels will go up which encourages fat storage. When we follow this plan, we are more energetic and happier! Balancing the blood sugar is key to balancing hormones that affect mood, as well.

Avoid Foods High on the Glycemic Index:

Avoid any snacks made with any form of sugar and products with wheat and gluten. Most snack foods such as chips, pretzels, and crackers, sodas and bottled juices, candies or baked sweets are full of sweeteners and refined grains. You might be surprised to find that most fruits, root vegetables, all grains, and dairy products are also high glycemic foods that will spike blood sugar.

Load up on Foods Low on the Glycemic Index:

Focus on these non-starchy vegetables, proteins, and fats that won't spike blood sugar but will provide your body with loads of protein, vitamins, and minerals:

• Artichokes

• Artichoke hearts

• Asparagus

• Avocado

• Bamboo shoots

• Bean sprouts

• Broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Daikon

• Eggplant

• Endive

• Jicama

• Leeks

• Greens (collard, beet, kale, mustard, turnip)

• Mushrooms

• Okra

• Onions

• Pea pods

• Peppers

• Radish

• Seaweed

• Squash (spaghetti, green and yellow zucchini)

• Sugar snap peas

• Swiss chard

• Tomato

• Water chestnuts

• Watercress

• Cabbages (green, Bok Choy, Chinese)

• All Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, iceberg lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)

Animal Proteins: (Food quality here is imperative, so spend the extra on your health!)

• Chicken (organic only)

• Fish (wild caught or sustainable farmed)

• Seafood (wild caught or sustainable farmed)

• Grass fed beef (smaller portion)

• Buffalo (smaller portion)

• Eggs (organic pasture raised)

Fats:

• Raw nuts

• Raw seeds

• Goat cheese

• Coconut oil (ok to heat)

• Olive oil, sesame oil (not heated)

• Avocado

• Almond, peanut or sunflower butter

Natural sweeteners (use these for baking, beverages, or any recipe that calls for sugar):

• Stevia

• Truvia

• Monk fruit powder

• Swerve

Condiments and miscellaneous:

• Sea Salt

• Black pepper

• Garlic powder

• Onion powder

• Pure dried herbs

• Mustard

• Sea tangle kelp noodles or yam calorie-free noodles

Also, feel free to enjoy coffee, green tea, and herbal hot teas (all unsweetened).

Eating Guidelines:

Here is how to do it! Look up glycemic index food charts on the internet. There are several, so just choose foods from the list that have a score of 20 OR LESS. Eat only non-starchy foods, no sugar, and stick to the meal plan.

Tips:

• Eat only foods 20 or below on the glycemic index

• Eat every 2 H to 3 hours, only small portions

• Eat until you are barely satisfied and never to full

• Do not eat from 7 pm to 7 am (or...