Blood Sugar & Gut
Health

#1 — The type of carbohydrate

Highly processed carbs are absorbed more rapidly.

Faster digesting: candy, soda, juice, pastries, sugary cereal, white bread and many refined snack foods. Slower digesting: potatoes, oats, rice, quinoa, fruit, beans/lentils if tolerated, and higher-fiber whole-food carbohydrates.

#2 — How much carbohydrate at once

Dose matters.

There is a big difference between a moderate serving of rice with chicken and vegetables vs. a giant bowl of rice by itself.

#3 — Protein

Protein slows digestion and makes meals more filling.

Instead of toast, think: eggs + toast + fruit.

#4 — Fiber

Fiber slows carbohydrate absorption and blunts the glucose response.

Good gut-friendly sources depending on tolerance: chia, flax, oats, kiwi, berries, vegetables, potatoes, psyllium, PHGG, legumes if tolerated.

#5 — Fat

Fat can slow gastric emptying — but more isn't always better.

It can sometimes reduce the immediate glucose spike. BUT very high-fat meals can worsen fullness, reflux, nausea, gastroparesis symptoms and post-meal heaviness — especially in people who already have impaired gastric emptying.

#6 — Food processing

The more broken down a food is, the less work digestion has to do.

Whole apple → applesauce → apple juice. Usually, the more processed the form, the faster the sugar can become available.

#7 — Liquid carbohydrates

Liquid sugar is especially easy to consume quickly.

Soda, sweet tea, juice, sweetened coffee, energy drinks — you can consume a huge amount of carbohydrate without feeling particularly full.

#8 — Sleep

One terrible night of sleep can feel like zero willpower.

Poor sleep can negatively affect insulin sensitivity and can also increase hunger, appetite, cravings and desire for higher-calorie foods.

#9 — Stress

Stress hormones make glucose available.

Cortisol and adrenaline help make glucose available because your body thinks “we may need energy right now.” Short-term, that's useful. Chronically elevated stress + poor sleep + inactivity makes blood sugar regulation more difficult.

#10 — Physical activity

Your muscles are one of the biggest places glucose can go.

Muscle contraction helps your body clear glucose from the bloodstream — which is why a 10–15 minute walk after eating can be surprisingly useful. Regular exercise also improves insulin sensitivity.

Connection #1 — Gut motility

Blood sugar can affect how fast your stomach empties.

Significant hyperglycemia can slow gastric emptying, particularly in people with diabetes. Food can sit in the stomach longer, contributing to feeling overly full, nausea, upper abdominal bloating, belching, poor appetite, reflux, and feeling like food is just “sitting there.”

Connection #2 — The nerves that control digestion

Long-term poor glucose control can damage digestive nerves.

Especially relevant in longstanding diabetes: chronically elevated blood glucose can contribute to damage of the autonomic and enteric nervous systems — the nerves coordinating stomach emptying, intestinal contractions, bowel movements and digestive signaling. This is one reason gastroparesis is much more common in people with longstanding diabetes.

Connection #3 — Microbiome & intestinal barrier

“One spike destroys your microbiome” is not the way to think about it.

What we have stronger evidence for is that chronic metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes are associated with changes in the gut microbiome, inflammation and intestinal barrier function. A normal increase in glucose after eating a potato isn't the same as chronically uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Context matters.

Connection #4 — Diet quality

The foods that destabilize blood sugar are often poor for gut health too.

A diet dominated by soda, candy, desserts, refined grains and low-fiber processed snack foods usually means more refined carbs, added sugars and ultra-processed foods — and less fiber, polyphenols, micronutrients, whole plants and food diversity. It's difficult to separate “blood sugar health” from “overall diet quality.” ADA guidance similarly emphasizes vegetables, whole fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds and lean proteins while minimizing sugary drinks, refined grains and highly processed foods.

Connection #5 — The one clients feel the most

Blood sugar swings make gut-health nutrition harder.

Coffee + muffin → blood sugar rises rapidly → “I'm starving” → craving sugar, bread, chips, another coffee → snacking → never truly hungry for a balanced meal → grazing all afternoon. For someone we're trying to get onto 3 balanced meals, adequate protein, adequate plants, appropriate fiber and reasonable meal spacing, unstable appetite regulation makes everything harder.

Energy

The ups and downs

• Afternoon crashes
• Fatigue after meals
• Energy ups and downs
• Feeling exhausted if they haven't eaten

Brain / mood

The mental side

• Brain fog
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Feeling “hangry”
• Anxiety / jitteriness
• Headaches

Appetite

The cravings

• Strong sugar cravings
• Carb cravings
• Feeling hungry shortly after eating
• Feeling like you constantly need snacks
• Nighttime cravings

During a true low blood glucose episode

True hypoglycemia

• Shakiness
• Sweating
• Racing heart
• Weakness
• Confusion
• Dizziness

Strategy #1 — The easiest place to start

Eat protein with every meal.

Instead of building the meal around carbs, start with the protein. Think PROTEIN + PLANT + CARB + HEALTHY FAT rather than CARB + CARB + CARB.

• Eggs
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
• Fish
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Tofu/tempeh if tolerated
• Protein powder

Strategy #2 — Give carbs some friends

Don't eat “naked carbs” all day.

A naked carb is a carbohydrate eaten without much protein, fiber or fat. Instead of a banana, try banana + Greek yogurt. Instead of crackers, try crackers + turkey. Instead of oatmeal, try oatmeal + protein powder + chia + berries. You do NOT have to eliminate carbohydrates — just give them some friends.

Strategy #3 — Feed the gut too

Get more fiber — as tolerated.

Fiber can slow carbohydrate absorption while simultaneously feeding beneficial gut microbes. But with gut issues: start low and build gradually.

• Berries
• Kiwi
• Chia
• Ground flax
• Oats
• Potatoes
• Vegetables
• Psyllium
• PHGG

Strategy #4 — One of the simplest tools

Walk after meals.

Take a 10–15 minute walk after meals. Your working muscles can take up glucose. You don't need a glucose supplement, a detox, a biohack or a $400 device. Sometimes you just need to go walk your dog.

Strategy #5 — Upgrade the source

Prioritize whole-food carbohydrates.

Eat more fruit, potatoes, rice, oats, quinoa, beans/lentils and whole grains if tolerated. Eat less candy, pastries, sugary cereal, soda, juice, cookies and ultra-processed snack foods. We aren't removing carbs — we're upgrading the source.

Strategy #6 — A huge one

Stop drinking most of your sugar.

Liquid sugar can add up ridiculously fast. Watch soda, juice, sweetened coffee, sweet tea, energy drinks, and smoothies loaded with juice/honey/agave. Water should make up the majority of fluid intake.

Strategy #7 — Rhythm matters

Eat consistent, balanced meals.

For many gut clients, 3 balanced meals spaced roughly 3–4 hours apart works really well — supporting predictable hunger, adequate protein, better meal composition and less grazing. You don't need to panic because you ate a snack. The goal is simply to avoid eating little bites of carbohydrate from 7 AM until 10 PM.

Strategy #8 — Metabolically useful tissue

Build muscle & exercise regularly.

Greater activity and regular resistance training can improve insulin sensitivity. Walking, strength training, cycling, hiking, sports — whatever you'll actually continue doing. The best exercise program is the one you'll consistently perform. Current recommendations emphasize regular aerobic activity plus resistance training rather than relying on nutrition alone.

Strategy #9 — Don't underestimate this one

Get enough sleep.

Someone can have a fantastic diet and still struggle with hunger, cravings, poor energy and worse glucose regulation when they're chronically sleeping five hours per night. Aim for roughly 7–9 hours for most adults.

Strategy #10 — Big rocks first

Don't chase “blood sugar hacks” before fixing the basics.

Cinnamon, vinegar shots, berberine, glucose-disposal supplements, special meal sequencing, CGMs for everyone — some strategies can have legitimate uses, but none are more important than protein, fiber, whole foods, appropriate carbohydrate portions, exercise, walking and sleep. ADA guidance does not recommend herbs or supplements such as cinnamon specifically for glycemic benefits because the evidence isn't strong enough. Get the big rocks right first.

Instead of: Coffee + pastry

Try: Eggs + potatoes + berries

Instead of: Plain cereal

Try: Greek yogurt + berries + chia + oats

Instead of: Huge bowl of pasta

Try: Chicken + pasta + cooked vegetables + olive oil

Instead of: Apple

Try: Apple + peanut butter

Instead of: Crackers

Try: Crackers + turkey + cucumber

Instead of: Banana + mango + honey + OJ smoothie

Try: Berries + protein powder + chia/flax + milk of choice

You do NOT need to…

Release the carb fear

• Have perfectly flat glucose
• Avoid fruit
• Eliminate potatoes
• Go keto because you have gut issues
• Assume a glucose rise means a food was “bad”

Eat a protein source with every meal.

Walk for 10 minutes after one meal each day.

Turn one “naked carb” you normally eat into a balanced snack.

Replace one refined carbohydrate each day with a whole-food carbohydrate.