How Do I Balance Blood Sugar?
- Gut Honest Truth
- Nov 1, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 21
The answer might surprise you...
Welcome to the Gut Honest Truth blog where a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner gives you digestible information to tackle your chronic health concerns.
That's me, Katie Morra; and in this blog I'm going to break down what blood sugar balance actually means, why it matters far beyond diabetes, and what you can do to support it every day.
And as always, working one-on-one for your specific needs is always our top recommendation, check out our appointment options to get started with one of our licensed health care professionals today.
There's a big push for metabolic health right now — and for good reason. Health is about far more than how you look. It's about how well you're functioning from the inside out: how well you're digesting, producing hormones, responding to stress, and absorbing and utilizing nutrients. Blood sugar stability sits at the center of all of it.
What Is Glucose?
Glucose is the simplest form of carbohydrate and your body's preferred fuel source — used for nearly every metabolic function you have. You get glucose from the food you eat (primarily carbohydrates), but your body can also produce it by converting proteins and fats when needed.
Glucose fuels the brain, is stored in the muscle and liver, and is essential for muscle recruitment and performance during exercise or movement.
What Is Blood Glucose?
Blood glucose is the amount of glucose circulating in your bloodstream at any given moment. While glucose is essential, the body functions best when blood glucose is tightly controlled — not freely elevated in the bloodstream.
Your body has systems in place to utilize, store, and shuttle glucose to designated areas (primarily the liver and muscle tissue) so levels stay within an optimal range.
Fasting blood glucose reference range: 85-99 mg/dL
When you eat, blood sugar rises as your body processes and allocates glucose. In response, the pancreas releases insulin — a hormone that acts as a chaperone for glucose. Insulin drives glucose into cells, stimulates conversion to its storage form (glycogen), increases carbohydrate use as fuel, and signals satiety. It's on your side — it's trying to get your cells fueled and ready.
About an hour after eating, blood glucose should begin to decline. Two hours post-meal, we want to see levels below 140 mg/dL. This is your postprandial (post-meal) range.
Insulin Sensitivity vs. Insulin Resistance
Insulin sensitivity is your cells' ability to respond to insulin's signal. High sensitivity means a small amount of insulin effectively drives glucose into tissues after eating. Low sensitivity — insulin resistance — means you need more and more insulin to do the same job, leading to higher insulin levels, greater fat storage, and slowed metabolic function.
Blood glucose alone doesn't tell the full story. At GHT we also look at insulin, hemoglobin A1c, liver enzymes, and a lipid panel to get a complete picture of metabolic health.
Why Does Blood Sugar Balance Matter?
When blood sugar is chronically out of range — either too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia) — there are downstream effects on virtually every system in the body:
Gut function — digestion, nutrient absorption, motility
Hormonal production and utilization
Energy levels
Cortisol production and dependence
Ability to gain or lose weight
Exercise performance and recovery
Dysregulated blood sugar is one of the most common underlying drivers of the chronic symptoms we see in practice — and it's frequently overlooked in conventional care.
How to Eat for Blood Sugar Balance
Eating for blood sugar looks different for everyone based on carbohydrate tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and individual health goals. But there are a few principles that apply broadly:
Tip 1: Eat consistently A general guideline is to eat every 3-5 hours throughout the day. Avoiding both frequent snacking and large gaps between meals supports steady blood sugar and helps you avoid the peaks and valleys that drive energy swings, afternoon crashes, fatigue after eating, and poor sleep.
Tip 2: Protein, fat, fiber — every meal This is the GHT mantra. Including protein, fat, and fiber at every meal is the most practical way to support blood sugar stability throughout the day.
Tip 3: Choose slow carbs Carbohydrates are your body's preferred energy source — we're not eliminating them. The goal is finding the right amount for your body based on how you feel and how your blood sugar responds. Slow carbs contain fiber that slows glucose absorption: think whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, lentils, fruit, and whole grain breads and pasta. Non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, onions) are technically carbohydrates too — pair them with one of the above for sustained energy.
Tip 4: Build your plate A simple visual framework for balanced meals:
Protein — about the size of the palm of your hand
Fat — oils about the size of your thumbnail; other fats about the length of your thumb
Slow carb — a handful to a fistful (adjust based on your carb tolerance)
Vegetables — half your plate, including a variety of colors throughout the day
This is a framework, not a rigid rule. Flexibility and joy around food matter too.
Can You Check Your Own Blood Sugar?
Yes — and it's worth doing. A basic blood glucose monitor is an inexpensive way to track how the foods you regularly eat are affecting your blood sugar in real time.
Test before eating, one hour after, and two hours after. Compare your results to the ranges above:
Fasting: 85-99 mg/dL
2 hours post-meal: under 140 mg/dL
After a few days of tracking, patterns emerge — certain foods that spike your blood sugar, others that keep it steady. Bring that data to your next appointment with a qualified provider to assess it and build a protocol around your specific metabolic picture.
Blood sugar balance isn't just about avoiding diabetes. Constant fluctuations are a driving force behind bloating and digestive issues, energy crashes, poor sleep, hair loss, hormonal imbalances, and stubborn weight — all things we address at GHT through testing and targeted protocols.
If you'd like more support, we'd love to help.
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