I had a question last week asking for my top nutrition tips.  I’ve decided to do a four-part series giving you my very best advice.  My number one goal is to empower you to tune in to your body and understand the simple, actionable steps you can take to age well and have vitality.

Rather than demonizing certain food groups or telling you the latest trendy diet you should try, I think it’s important to understand food's profound impact on your overall health.  The nutrients from the foods we eat create our cells, tissues, and organs.  

We are the richest nation on earth and have unbelievable access to an abundance of foods yet we are the sickest nation and spend the most money on health care in the world.  The statistics are sobering:

88% of adults have some form of metabolic syndrome

4.5 trillion dollars is spent each year on healthcare yet our outcomes keep getting worse

The average American adult is on 4 medications

40% of American adults are obese, 32% are overweight

How can we afford all of this ill-health?

What’s going wrong?

We’re overfed and undernourished.  We’re eating too many empty calories.

My number one nutrition tip is understanding how to balance your blood sugar.  Poor blood sugar regulation is the root cause of metabolic syndrome which is the root cause of chronic diseases:  type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, dementia, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The bottom line is that it ages you.

Overeating flour in all of its various forms (crackers, bread, chips, tortillas, pancakes, etc) and sugar which is in all packaged foods (candy, cookies, muffins, cake, granola bars, sweetened beverages, etc) causes our body to release insulin to store all that sugar in our liver, muscles and ultimately our fat cells.  If you’re constantly having blood sugar spikes your body has to keep producing insulin.  Too much insulin eventually leads to metabolic syndrome.

Poor blood sugar regulation not only leads to chronic diseases it also leads to chronic inflammation, acid reflux, weight gain, sugar cravings, poor sleep, acne and skin issues, migraines, wrinkles, menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, arthritis, feeling moody, irritability, tired, lethargic, anxious, and depressed.

For the next week without judgment notice and track how you feel after a meal.  Write down in a journal or notes app.  Next Wednesday I’ll be giving you my best tips for how you can use food to manage your blood sugar and possibly avoid chronic diseases.