SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. NUTRITION

• Make sure to eat 20-30g of protein WITH EACH MEAL. This means breakfast too! Protein will help to stabilize your blood sugar response and keep it from having large spikes. If you do eat sugar or a high carb meal, when you pair it with protein, it will help curb not only the sugar crash, but also keep you full longer and keep your blood sugar at a healthier level.

• DO NOT skip breakfast. Studies show that eating about 30g of protein by 10 a.m. helps keep your insulin levels stable throughout the day. Other studies show that those who eat later in the day tend to have more metabolic issues than those who have an earlier eating schedule. So if you're going to skip a meal (aka you want to do intermittent fasting), make dinner the meal you skip, not breakfast.

• Make sure to add about 20g of fiber with each meal. This part is super important as well. One study of about 6500 individuals found that adults with high fiber consumption have less insulin resistance than their counterparts. This will also help to keep you full longer and improve your gut microbiome while helping with your insulin levels.

"Adults with high fiber consumption have less insulin resistance than their counterparts."

2. SUPPLEMENTS

• Berberine. "Compared with metformin, berberine exhibited an identical effect in the regulation of glucose metabolism, such as HbA1c, FBG, PBG, fasting insulin and postprandial insulin. In the regulation of lipid metabolism, berberine activity is better than metformin. By week 13, triglycerides and total cholesterol in the berberine group had decreased and were significantly lower than in the metformin group."
• Use this supplement with caution. In excess amounts or for long term use, it can disrupt the gut microbiome as it's also a very potent antimicrobial herb. Make sure you consult with an integrative provider who is versed in herbal medicine.

• Myo-Inositol. This is generally used in conjunction with D-chiro inositol and the two together are helpful for a lot of hormonal issues, mainly in women with PCOS. Studies have shown that it's helpful for lowering androgen levels as well as insulin levels, and there has been some evidence for the use of this in those with Hashimoto's as well. Dosing here is important. A high enough dose must be achieved in order to see benefit among insulin levels. Studies show that about 4g of myo-inositol per day has lowered androgen levels and insulin levels in women with PCOS.

3. EXERCISE

• 3 days/week of strength training. Strength training is low intensity activity, so it's good for even those who are feeling stressed. It helps with recovery if you're on the higher end of the stress scale. It's also beneficial for blood sugar as it helps you put on muscle, and the more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate.
• One of my favorite resources (if you don't have a trainer, or access to one) is the app Nike Training Club. They have a free and paid version. You can customize your workout based on the equipment you have available. Anywhere from no equipment to a full gym.

• 3 days/week of cardio or aerobic exercise. So many people ONLY do this, or ONLY do strength training. When combining both together you drastically improve your cardiovascular and metabolic health and you'll start seeing results faster. If you don't know where to start for cardio, start with walking. 20 minutes daily. Even better if you do it on an incline. If you want to take your cardio training to the next level check out how to do that here.