Balance Blood Sugar
Blood Sugar, or Glucose, is the critical fuel for our bodies and our brain. In fact, the brain needs a constant steady supply of glucose at all times to function properly. Although the brain weighs only about two or three pounds, it uses about 30 percent of the body’s total glucose. Learn how to balance blood sugar in your system with Essential Oils.
How Blood Sugar Works
Carbohydrates in the food we eat are digested and absorbed as glucose, then transported through the bloodstream, supplying energy to every cell in the body. The body is continually monitoring the levels of glucose (blood sugar) in the blood to ensure that it doesn’t spike too high or dip too low. The goal is to maintain a condition of internal stability, which is necessary for optimal function.
Keeping blood sugar in balance is important for:
- Energy levels, including optimal sleep
- Brain health, including moods and mental focus.
- Hormonal balance
- Weight loss
- Optimal health, including the optimal function of every organ
Diet is a primary tool for controlling blood sugar, ideally limiting the intake of foods that spike blood sugar, like sugar and carbohydrates. When blood sugar dips too low, hormones like cortisol and epinephrine can raise blood sugar. Increasing the intake of healthy fats and supporting the body’s ability to digest and assimilate fats can also help curb hunger cravings and sustain blood sugar levels for longer periods of time.
Symptoms of Blood Sugar Imbalances
- Cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, or coffee
- Sleepiness or energy dips in afternoon
- Irritability or feelings of shakiness if meals are skipped or delayed
- Difficulty concentrating when hungry
- Difficulty falling asleep or awakening hours after going to bed and finding it difficult to go back to sleep
- Fatigue after meals
- Weight in the abdomen or difficulty losing weight
- Frequent thirst or urination
- Need for stimulants such as coffee after meals
Essential Oils to Support the Organs of Blood Sugar Regulation
To keep blood sugar levels balanced, it helps to support the organs of blood sugar regulation along with diet and lifestyle choices. For example, consider the following essential oils to support the organs of blood sugar balance.
Pancreas™: The digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates from food into glucose, which goes straight into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar concentrations to rise. The pancreas releases insulin to transport the glucose into the cells. As more and more cells receive glucose, blood sugar levels return to normal. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen (stored glucose) in the liver and muscles. If you have not eaten for a while and blood glucose concentrations drop, the pancreas releases another hormone called glucagon. Glucagon triggers the breakdown of glycogen into glucose, thus pushing blood glucose levels back up to normal. Pancreas™ oil facilitates this normal function of the pancreas.
Liver™: The liver acts as the body’s glucose (energy) reservoir and helps to maintain steady and constant blood sugar levels by balancing the uptake, storage, and release of glucose, depending on the body’s need for energy. More specifically, excess glucose is removed from the blood and converted into glycogen (the storage form of glucose), which is stored in the liver. When blood sugar levels drop, the liver initiates a process called glycogenolysis, where glycogen is converted back into glucose, or by converting other sugars into glucose, gradually releasing it into the bloodstream until levels approach normal range. Finally, the liver produces ketones from fats when glucose is in short supply.
Adrenal®: Blood sugar imbalances can exhaust the adrenals. For example, eating a sugary meal will spike then quickly crash blood sugar, requiring the adrenals to release cortisol to stabilize blood sugar. Similarly, stress hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) can increase blood sugar levels to meet your body’s demands for energy. Every stress response is a blood sugar response. Fatigued adrenal glands can struggle to produce and release cortisol, which in turn throws off the body’s balance of blood sugar.
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