Have you thought about your blood sugar levels?

Hormones and Food? The future of nutrition will be placing a larger focus on the hormonal response an individual gets from the food they eat. I will focus on 3 x hormones our body produces as below and how they are linked together in regards to cravings, hunger, weight gain and body fat reduction:

  1. Insulin
  2. Glucagon
  3. Ghrelin


Insulin and Glucagon are released from the Pancreas to adjust blood sugar levels. When insulin is released, blood sugar goes down, when glucagon is released, blood sugar goes up. But how are Insulin and Glucagon triggered for release?

  • Carbohydrates stimulate the release of Insulin.
  • Protein stimulates the release of Glucagon.


All this means is when you eat Carbohydrates, you release insulin which lowers blood sugar. When you eat Protein you release Glucagon which increases blood sugar, pretty simple actually. When these 2 hormones are balanced, you experience body fat reduction at a rapid rate.

We need the release of both hormones, but when these are out of balance, so are our blood sugar levels. If you eat too many carbohydrates in the one meal, you get a spike of Insulin, which then causes a drop in blood sugar level and shortly after you'll experience fatigue and not long after that you'll get a sugar or food craving. If you are craving foods all the time, in many cases this is due to regular spiking of your Insulin levels from eating too many Carbohydrates in the one meal.




Green Vegetables are very Micronutrient Dense

I want to make it very clear here, we do not want to cut out Carbohydrates, we need them as they are full of Micronutrients (Vitamins and Minerals). We just don't want to eat too many high density Carbohydrates in the one sitting. Green Vegetables are very low in carbohydrates. It is the white stuff like pasta, bread, rice and potato is what is very carbohydrate dense and causes people to spike their insulin.

We also need Insulin as it what allows the nutrients from the food you eat enter every cell in your body. Without Insulin, you will die, but too much being released on a regular basis is not what you want either. Just remember the spikes of insulin is causing you to store fat. Glucagon, on the other hand, is a hormone which increases our blood sugar levels that is stimulated by Protein. So as below:

It is the balance of these hormones we focus on and we do this through putting the correct amount of Protein and the correct amount of Carbohydrate on our plates. We cannot forget to add a dash of good fats on the plate also(Fats need to be discussed in a separate post). We feel our best after meals when our hormonal response from the meal is correct and balanced, meaning our blood sugar levels are balanced.

In order to achieve a natural body weight and sustain it, without hunger and cravings, it actually just comes down to controlling the right hormones, that's it. It has nothing to do with will power, discipline or being able to push yourself. Once your body and mind has what it needs, the right hormones are released, in the right amounts. The right chemical reactions happening, the right neurotransmitters jumping across your synapses and you have a sustainable ongoing positive result.

What Is Ghrelin?

Ghrelin is the hunger hormone. It's released in an empty stomach to tell the brain 'we need to eat'.

So what if you were to make sure that this hormone was not going to your brain? Well you can, but that takes you having some food in your stomach. So if you are eating regular meals (with all macronutrients) than you won't, or shouldn't have this problem.

The more often Ghrelin goes to your brain, the more often you'll be tempted to eat too many carbohydrates and spike insulin, resulting in your body naturally storing more body fat. This is why I am discussing these 3 hormones together. I am sure you can get the picture now right?

The other way to inhibit Ghrelin is to practise intermittent fasting and your body will begin to get used to having no food in your stomach usually within a few short days.

Control Hormones, Eliminate Hunger & Achieve Weight Loss

Life is better with balanced blood sugar levels. The future goal of nutrition is longevity, performance and optimising the hormonal and neuronal effects an individual gets from every meal.

Eat, Think & Live Clean.

Kind Regards

Adam Phillips – Founder of Life Grip