Imagine walking up a single flight of stairs, each step harder than the last, perspiration dripping down your face, not being able to catch your breath. In that situation, it would be hard to ignore the fact that something was wrong with your health. Similarly, what if every time you ate a meal, your blood sugar surged and stayed elevated for hours? Would you be equally concerned?
The answer is that you most definitely should be concerned!
Blood Glucose Overview
When you eat, your digestive system converts most of the carbohydrates (sugars, breads, pastas, cereals, fruits, etc.) into glucose, a fuel that can easily be used to power your daily energy needs. Your body attempts to maintain two or three days of energy reserves in the form of modified glucose or glycogen in the muscles and liver. Think of the muscles and liver storing glycogen as your primary fuel tank, albeit a small tank. If your primary tank is full (two or three days worth of glycogen), the excess glucose gets converted into fat and stored in your body tissues (a secondary fuel tank). Continue reading
