Energy, glucose & insulin

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it merely changes its state. This is what happens when we eat. The food we eat becomes glucose, which is used as fuel to make energy. Glucose levels in the blood fluctuate all the time. If levels are high and surplus to immediate requirements – the body stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.

Insulin encourages the body through a series of biochemical changes, to store excess glucose in the muscles and liver (glycogen) to be used later on. Once these stores are full, glucose is stored as fat.

Therefore, a diet of foods that are broken down into glucose quickly (i.e. those with a high glycaemic index / GI), will stimulate insulin production thereby adding to your fat stores. If your diet only includes foods that take time to be broken down (i.e. those with a low GI), your insulin levels will be kept to a minimum, allowing any fat stores to decrease.

Blood sugar imbalance is a condition in which your body does not handle glucose effectively. Throughout the day blood glucose levels may fluctuate outside of the bodies desired blood glucose range. Swinging from being very high after a meal, stimulant or stress, to being very low, say if you skipped breakfast. Blood sugar imbalance can be a precursor to diabetes mellitus and it is therefore important to address the contributory factors before the condition develops further.