By Janie Truitt
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Over the past five to 10 years, the prevalence of metabolic disorders—such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (any three of the following: high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, excess abdominal weight / elevated BMI, high triglycerides, low HDL—“good”—cholesterol)—has continued to rise globally. These conditions significantly raise your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and organ damage.
At the root of these disorders is a condition known as insulin resistance, which evolves largely from your eating patterns, lifestyle, and the types of food you eat. The more sugar you consume and the more dysregulated your blood sugar levels are during the day (meaning multiple spikes and crashes) the more likely your cells are to no longer properly absorb insulin, which makes them less effective at using glucose. The glucose, therefore, remains in your blood stream and is converted to fat, causing inflammation which can trigger the metabolic disorders noted above, and weight gain. NOTE: Insulin resistance can be confirmed through testing for elevated blood sugar and insulin levels. Please consult your physician.
But the good news is that insulin resistance can be reversed through tweaks in eating strategies and minor lifestyle changes. The two most helpful things you can do are to eat in a manner which keeps your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, and to integrate moderate levels of activity, both of which will help increase insulin sensitivity so that your body begins to use its insulin again, appropriately process glucose, and start to utilize stored fat, potentially leading to weight loss and a substantial reduction in the risk of metabolic disorders.
Keeping blood sugar levels steady can be achieved by integrating protein, fiber, and healthy fats in every meal, and integrating healthy snacks at strategic points during the day (mid-morning, mid-afternoon) to avoid blood sugar crashes (which can also lead to cravings and overeating). Protein, fiber, and healthy fats are more slowly absorbed than carbohydrates and maintain your blood sugar levels longer. When eaten with carbohydrates, they slow the absorption of carbohydrates as well. Focus on whole and minimally processed foods and avoid Ultra-Processed Foods and excess sugar, as well as foods with a high glycemic load (meaning foods that spike your blood sugar very quickly such as sweets and white rice, pasta, bread, and flour. Switch to whole grains where possible.
As for integrating moderate levels of activity—a 15-minute walk, getting up from your desk for five minutes each hour or 10 minutes three times a day and walking around, etc., is enough to unlock a biochemical process that makes your cells more sensitive to insulin.
My counsel to is to create a plan and attack it in small achievable steps to develop new, sustainable habits and to avoid overwhelming yourself. As an example, work first on getting better breakfasts, then perhaps integrating movement and so on.
Numbers Worth Tracking
The following dietary components either directly contribute to or lower the risk of metabolic disorders and, when tracked and tweaked, can help you lower your risk of metabolic disorders and chronic disease. There are several free apps
(Cronometer, Zoe, MyFitnessPal) that can help you track your consumption with minimal fuss.
- Saturated Fat can drive up LDL cholesterol, increasing risk of daily metabolic disorder and heart disease. They are generally solid at room temperature (think butter) and are prevalent in high-fat dairy, red meat, and Ultra-Processed Foods (commercially prepared foods).
- Consume 20 g or less daily
- Sodium in excess raises blood pressure, increasing risk of heart disease, stroke, and organ damage. For the typical American, 70% of sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant meals while only 11% comes from adding salt at home.
- Consume 2300 mg or less daily
- Added Sugar is the sugar that is added to commercially prepared foods to increase flavor or extend shelf life. It enters your bloodstream very quickly and raises the risk of metabolic disorders, fatty liver disease, and heart disease. The recommended amounts are less than the amount of sugar in a 12-oz can of soda!
- Consume no more than 25 g (women); 36 g (men) daily
- Fiber helps reduce the risk of high cholesterol, obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and even some cancers and it is associated with better gastrointestinal health and reduced inflammation. Only 5% of Americans consume the recommended daily amount.
- Consume at least 25 g (women); 38 g (men) daily
- Potassium is one of the most important minerals in your body, helping lower blood pressure and stroke risk among many other functions. Over 90% of Americans do not consume the recommended daily value. NOTE: Before adding any supplement to your routine, please consult your physician. Supplements can interfere with medications and some supplements can build up in your body to toxic levels.
- Consume 4700 mg daily
Healthy Fats—Isn’t That an Oxymoron?
Fat has received a bad rep over the years as being unhealthy. However, fat plays many important roles in our body including serving as a source of energy, protecting and cushioning vital organs, supporting cell growth, and assisting in the absorption of essential vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. Therefore, including some fat in our diets is extremely important. It just needs to be the right kinds of fat.
- Unsaturated (healthy) fats
(There are two types: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.)
Consume in moderation (they are still calorie dense). These fats provide energy; absorb into your bloodstream slowly, helping stabilize your blood sugar; and help reduce cholesterol levels, lower inflammation, and support cardiovascular health. This category of fats also encompasses Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, essential polyunsaturated fats. NOTE: Do not consume unsaturated fats in a hydrogenated form as they will have lost their heart-healthy properties. Unsaturated fats can be found in:- Certain Oils: olive, avocado, corn, soybean, sunflower, cod liver, walnut
- Nuts & Seeds (also a great source of Omega-3’s): just about all varieties, but key among them are walnuts, pecans, pistachios, chia, flax, hemp, soybeans
- Fruits & Vegetables: avocadoes, olives, spinach, brussels sprouts, peas
- Protein: Eggs, salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, tuna, rainbow trout, beans, lentils
- Saturated fats: Consume in small quantities.
- Trans fats: Do not consume. These are commercially produced fats (although they do occur naturally in some animal products). These fats raise LDL cholesterol, lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Breakfast
In trying to follow the protein/fiber/healthy fats eating plan, my clients most often struggle with breakfast. Mornings are normally a mad dash out the door, grabbing something like a protein bar on the way. However, in managing metabolic disorders, breakfast TRULY IS the most important meal of the day. If you’re not eating a balanced breakfast, you will usually end up crashing mid-morning, feeling hungry and getting cravings, and eating the first thing in sight. This sets you up for an entire day of roller coaster blood sugar levels. The good news is that, with a little meal planning and weekend or evening meal prep, a healthy breakfast is one of the easiest things to make ahead. That way, you can still grab something on the way out the door or heat and eat at home while consuming a healthy, balanced option. Great sources for make-ahead breakfasts include EatingWell.com, TasteofHome.com, and Healthy-Delicious. com. Some of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts include:
- Egg bites with your choice of filling (vegetables, chicken or turkey sausage or smoked salmon, a small amount of cheese)
- Avocado spread made with a drizzle of healthy oil and sundried tomatoes on whole wheat sourdough toast
- Cottage cheese or unsweetened Greek yogurt; berries; chia, flax, or hemp seeds; with 2 tsp of honey, maple syrup, agave, or date sugar (such as Date Lady)
- Overnight oats with high-fiber stir-ins (berries, apple with the skin, pomegranate seeds, kiwi with the skin) and nuts or seeds
- Baked oatmeal with fruit and nuts or seeds
- Greek yogurt with homemade, low-sugar, nut-seed-dried fruit granola
- Stone-ground grits cooked in bone broth with a microwave “fried” or poached egg
- Instant Pot or slow cooker stone-ground grits (such as House-Autry), or high-fiber, high-protein oatmeal (such as Bob’s Red Mill); make a large batch for the entire week; serve with a healthy fat option and a protein option
- Bell pepper stuffed with grits or eggs
- Low-sugar smoothies (get sweetness from the fruit and/or some dates)
Healthy Snacks
Snacking is an important part of maintaining stable blood sugar levels, particularly an afternoon snack around 3 or 4 PM so that you’re not so ravenous when you get home that you are tempted by blood-sugar spiking snacks or you overeat at dinner. Also, once you’ve switched to a balanced breakfast, if you find yourself getting hungry before lunch, a small mid-morning snack is fine. These snacks will support your blood sugar without creating spikes. Here are some ideas:
- Nuts and seeds
- Roasted edamame
- Meat sticks with limited added sugar and sodium
- Smoked Salmon
- Tuna
- Hard-boiled eggs (try to keep egg consumption to 1-2 a day)
- Small leafy green salad with a drizzle of healthy oil, vinegar, and/or an avocado
- Unsweetened yogurt with fruit and nuts and 1 tsp of date sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave
- Olives
- Air- or microwave-popped popcorn (not the popcorn in microwave bags from the grocery store snack aisle; do not cook with oil) topped with nutritional yeast (tastes like parm, high in B vits)
- Cheese sticks or cottage cheese
- Whole grain or gluten-free crackers, baked chips, or veggies coupled with some of the following
- Mashed avocado or guacamole
- Nut or seed butters
- Salsa
- Hummus
About the Author:
JANIE TRUITT is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach. She is currently starting up a private coaching practice, Accessible Health (available virtually and in-person), focused on helping individuals achieve their health, wellness, and nutrition goals. In addition, she will soon launch cooking classes focused on strategies and techniques for easily preparing healthy meals and integrating them into your eating plan. Janie’s motto is “getting and staying happy and healthy doesn’t have to be hard.” Janie lives in Wilmington, DE with her son, Thomas Weiler. You can contact Janie at AccessibleHealth@Yahoo.com and follow her on Instagram (@Accessible. Health), Facebook (@Accessible Health—Health and Wellness Coaching), and/
or LinkedIn (Accessible Health—Health, Wellness and Nutrition Coaching)
