Energy Busters: Keeping Your Energy High When You’re Out of Routine

Photo by Retha Ferguson

Presented by Rhiannon Lytle, RHN with Organika (Full Webinar)

Tags: blood sugar, energy, hormones, tips 

What is blood sugar?

  • Glucose: is our blood sugar and is used as energy
  • Excess glucose is stored in our liver
    • This comes from consuming carbohydrates
  • Insulin: a hormone that helps to lower (regulate) glucose level in blood to achieve balance (homeostasis) 
  • Our bodies use glucose for activity
  • Glucose is our brain’s preferred source of energy

How blood sugar impacts energy levels

  • When our blood sugar dips, we will feel “hangry”, irritable, tired, unfocused, foggy
  • A long-term blood sugar roller coaster puts our body into stress mode 
  • When our body is stressed, we can’t properly absorb nutrients 
    • Fight-or-flight mode; spikes our cortisol levels (stress hormone) 
  • Our liver can’t perform its duties properly (detoxification/flushing toxins from body) since it’s busy with glucose 
    • When liver can’t perform properly, everything starts to recirculate in our body
      • More tired, less nutrient absorption 

Blood sugar and your hormones

  • When our blood sugar drops too low, our adrenal glands kick in and produce cortisol to keep us energized (jittery feeling)
    • E.g., Waking up in the middle of the night from blood sugar level drop, possibly from a sugary or high carbohydrate rich dinner or having not eaten enough during the day, resulting in cortisol kicking in
      • Have a small snack, scoop of nut butter (something fatty + a little protein) to balance blood sugar levels before bed 
  • Short-term cortisol gives us an energy boost
    • Is useful when we need it in fight-or-flight mode 
  • Long-term cortisol can tax our adrenal glands, leaving us more tired, wired and less focused
    • Adrenal glands: glands that produce cortisol 
    • This is why we hear the term “adrenal fatigue”/adrenal dysregulation 

Cortisol

  • A master hormone that takes preference over many others (like our sex hormones)
  • Making excess cortisol can affect:
    • Progesterone
    • Estrogen 
    • Testosteron
    • Thyroid hormone
  • Decreased thyroid hormone production can lead us to feel sluggish, gain weight, and have poor memory
  • Imbalanced sex hormones can lead to fatigue during certain times of the day and month 
    • Men and women will experience this different 
      • Men have a 24 hour hormone clock
        • Why intermittent fasting, keto diets work better for men than women 
      • Women have a 28 day clock/cycle 
        • Will have different times of the month when feeling fatigue 
        • Hormone dysregulation due to high cortisol will cause even more exhaustion 

What else impacts/disrupts cortisol levels?

photo of spilled coffee beans
Photo by Dominika Roseclay
  • Caffeine (but does have its benefits!) 
    • Keep it to the morning or pair it with certain things so it isn’t absorbed as quickly; or do decaf in the afternoons 
    • Cortisol curve naturally begins high in the morning and dips during the day
    • Caffeine through the day will cause cortisol levels to spike again
    • Be mindful of reliance; cut back if possible (might be easier with more time at home) 
  • Stress
    • Small moments of stress will spike cortisol 
    • Consider how you interpret stress 
  • Poor sleep habits
    • Impacts natural cortisol curve 
  • Pituitary gland disorders 
    • Consider talking to doctor or naturopath about

Foods to balance blood sugar 

  • Choose complex carbohydrates (if you choose to include in diet):
    • Whole grains (or ancient grains)
    • Starchy veggies (carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, squash) 
    • Low-glycemic fruits like berries (or apples) 
      • Less tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, banana), especially if you notice impacts on blood sugar 
  • Healthy fats (especially foods high in Omega-3)
    • Helps to prevent inflammation in body, regulate hormone, supports brain function  
  • Pair carbohydrates with fat & protein 
    • Apple + peanut butter or slices of cheese 
      • Fats and protein digest slower than carbohydrates do (resulting in slower absorption for sugars) 
  • Eat regularly throughout the day
    • Not skipping major meals (such as lunch) 
    • Eating mindfully (chewing, noticing hungry and fullness, taste)
  • Try herbal teas
    • Rooibos – good for hydration 
    • Peppermint (is energizing)
  • Try mood-balancing elixirs
    • Adaptogens 
  • Nutrient-rich plants 
    • Lots of fiber (good for blood sugar regulation)

Foods to avoid (also known as energy-busting foods)

  • Refined sugars
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Food sensitivity (dairy, gluten, etc.) 
    • Are you feeling tired after lunch or a specific meal? 
      • Can use a diet diary to pinpoint 

Lifestyle tips & tricks

an on treadmill
Photo by William Choquette
  • Exercise!
    • And try exercising based on your hormones!
      • Men: time of day
      • Women: where you are in cycle (check out Flo Living) 
  • Practice self-reducing exercises like deep breathing 
  • Set up good sleep hygiene
  • Try to expose yourself to sunlight in the morning
    • Can help cortisol curve 
  • Keep a similar sleep cycle each night
  • Drink WATER!
    • Hydration is key and can be mistaken for low energy 

Supplements 

  • Bone Broth/Collagen
    • Good source of protein to help balance blood sugar
    • Bone broth (saltiness) can support adrenal glands 
  • Blood sugar control
    • Contains chromium, which is excellent for blood sugar support
  • Adaptogens
    • Reishi (Balance), Chaga (Calm), and Lion’s Mane (Memory), Maca Powder are all great additions 
  • Milk thistle
    • Liver support
  • Ginseng 
  • Natural energy support 
  • MCT (Medium-Chain Triglycerides) Oil Powder
    • Great energy boost, especially first thing in the morning or working out

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This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.