Watch this before you have your next carbohydrate loaded meal

Summary

This script discusses the controversial role of carbohydrates in our diets, emphasizing their importance for energy yet acknowledging overconsumption can lead to health issues like type 2 diabetes. It offers actionable insights on carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting techniques to manage insulin spikes and maintain steady blood sugar levels, such as food sequencing and incorporating apple cider vinegar. The goal is to promote a balanced relationship with carbs for overall health and disease prevention.

Takeaways

• 🍞 Carbohydrates are essential for daily life, providing energy to the body's cells and are found in everyday foods like bread, fruits, and cereals.
• 🔍 The 'bad name' for carbs is due to the double-edged sword effect: too little can cause issues like hypoglycemia, while too much can lead to various diseases.
• 🏥 India is now the leading country in type 2 diabetes, highlighting the importance of understanding carbohydrate metabolism for health management.
• 🧠 The brain and muscles primarily use carbohydrates for energy, emphasizing their necessity for cognitive function and physical activity.
• 🤔 The right amount of carbs varies by individual, depending on factors like age, gender, activity level, and muscle mass.
• 📈 High insulin spikes from carbohydrate intake can lead to energy crashes, mood swings, and mental fog, affecting overall well-being.
• 🥗 Food sequencing, such as eating fiber and protein before carbohydrates, can help manage insulin spikes and promote steadier energy levels.
• 🍎 Apple cider vinegar can slow down carb conversion to glycogen and signal muscles to uptake more glycogen, helping to control blood sugar levels.
• 🚶‍♂️ Post-meal activity, like walking or doing calf raises, can help reduce insulin spikes and improve sugar response.
• 🛌 Sleeping immediately after eating can cause unusual blood sugar spikes, indicating the importance of activity after meals.
• 🚨 Insulin spikes are a concern because they can lead to inflammation and fat storage as the body tries to protect itself from high blood sugar levels.

Q & A

Why do carbohydrates often get a bad reputation?

Carbohydrates have a bad reputation because consuming too many can lead to health issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the script emphasizes that it's about balance and the right types of carbs, not complete exclusion.

What is the primary function of carbohydrates in the body?

The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body. Every cell has a receptor for carbohydrates to be utilized, making them essential for daily functioning.

Why is it not advisable to completely eliminate carbohydrates from one's diet?

Completely eliminating carbohydrates is not advisable because they are essential for brain function, muscle activity, and maintaining a normal, active lifestyle. They provide a quick source of energy that the body relies on for various functions.

What are some everyday techniques to manage carbohydrate intake and prevent high insulin spikes?

Everyday techniques include food sequencing, such as eating fiber and protein before carbohydrates, incorporating whole foods, and adding apple cider vinegar to meals. These methods help to minimize insulin spikes and maintain stable blood sugar levels.

How does the body respond to a lack of carbohydrates, especially in a state of ketosis?

The body has mechanisms to convert amino acids and proteins into carbohydrates to maintain a steady supply of glucose. If the body is deprived of carbs for a long time, it will eventually switch back to using carbs for energy.

What factors determine how much carbohydrates an individual requires?

The amount of carbohydrates an individual requires depends on factors such as age, gender, activity level, muscle mass, and the phase of the monthly cycle for women. These factors influence carbohydrate metabolism and energy needs.

Why is it important to minimize insulin spikes after eating?

Minimizing insulin spikes is important for maintaining stable blood sugar levels, preventing inflammation, and avoiding energy crashes. It also helps in better mood regulation and mental clarity.

How can apple cider vinegar help in managing insulin spikes?

Apple cider vinegar helps by slowing down the conversion of carbs into glycogen and signaling muscles to uptake more glycogen. This results in a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream and more energy availability for the muscles.

What is the impact of sleeping immediately after eating on blood sugar levels?

Sleeping immediately after eating can cause unusual blood sugar spikes. It is recommended to include some physical activity, like walking or calf raises, after a meal to help regulate insulin response.

Why should we care about managing insulin spikes, and what are the long-term implications if not managed?

Managing insulin spikes is crucial for preventing inflammation, maintaining a healthy immune system, and avoiding the storage of excess sugar as fat. Unmanaged insulin spikes can lead to chronic health issues such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Outlines

00:00

🍞 The Controversy and Importance of Carbohydrates

This paragraph delves into the contentious reputation of carbohydrates, discussing the delicate balance required in their consumption. Too few can be problematic, as seen in ketogenic diets, while excessive intake can lead to various diseases. The speaker emphasizes the significance of carbohydrates in daily life and their role in providing energy to the body's cells. The importance of managing carbohydrate intake to prevent health issues such as type 2 diabetes is highlighted, along with the goal of equipping listeners with knowledge to control their health better.

05:00

🔍 Understanding Carbohydrate Metabolism and Its Impact

The second paragraph focuses on the intricacies of carbohydrate metabolism, explaining how the body maintains a steady supply of glucose through various mechanisms. It addresses the individual variability in carbohydrate requirements, influenced by factors like age, gender, activity level, and muscle mass. The paragraph also touches on the concept of glycemic spikes and crashes, illustrating how they can affect mental clarity and energy levels, and the importance of minimizing these fluctuations for overall health.

10:02

🥗 Techniques for Managing Carbohydrate Intake and Spikes

This section provides practical advice on how to manage carbohydrate intake to prevent insulin spikes. It introduces the concept of food sequencing, where the order in which different types of food are consumed can influence the body's insulin response. The paragraph also suggests everyday techniques such as eating whole foods, incorporating apple cider vinegar into meals, and engaging in physical activity post-meal to mitigate spikes. The discussion highlights the benefits of these strategies for mood stabilization and maintaining steady energy levels.

15:03

🚶‍♂️ The Role of Physical Activity in Regulating Blood Sugar

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of physical activity after meals to help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent insulin spikes. It shares personal experiences with a glucose monitor that reveal the impact of food sequencing and the negative effects of sleeping after eating on blood sugar levels. The paragraph concludes with the significance of understanding and managing insulin spikes to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent inflammation, thus reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Keywords

💡Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are organic molecules that provide energy to the body and are a primary source of fuel for the body's cells. In the video, it is mentioned that carbohydrates include sugars and starches found in everyday foods like bread and fruits. The script discusses how the intake and metabolism of carbohydrates are crucial for maintaining energy levels and preventing health issues like type 2 diabetes.

💡Ketogenic diet

A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been adopted by some individuals for weight loss and health benefits. The script briefly mentions this diet as an example of a scenario where excluding carbohydrates might not be the best approach, indicating that a balanced diet is essential for overall health.

💡Insulin Spike

An insulin spike refers to a rapid increase in insulin levels in the body following the consumption of carbohydrates, leading to a rapid absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. The video emphasizes the importance of managing insulin spikes to prevent energy crashes and maintain stable blood sugar levels, which is crucial for preventing diseases like type 2 diabetes.

💡Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the body's natural state of maintaining a stable internal environment, including blood sugar levels. The script mentions that the ideal blood sugar level for homeostasis is between 80 to 120, and deviations from this range can lead to inflammation and other health issues.

💡Glycogen

Glycogen is a form of stored glucose in the body, primarily in the liver and muscles, which can be broken down into glucose when the body needs energy. The video script explains that the body uses glycogen during activities like talking and comprehending information, highlighting its importance in daily functioning.

💡Food Sequencing

Food sequencing is the order in which different types of food are consumed during a meal, which can affect the body's blood sugar response. The script suggests that eating fiber and protein before carbohydrates can help reduce insulin spikes and maintain more stable blood sugar levels.

💡Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is mentioned in the script as a potential aid in managing insulin spikes. It is suggested that consuming apple cider vinegar with meals can slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into glycogen and signal muscles to uptake more glycogen, thus helping to stabilize blood sugar levels.

💡Calorie Raises

Calorie raises, or squats, are a form of physical activity that can help manage blood sugar levels. The script explains that performing squats after a meal can help reduce the insulin spike, providing an alternative to walking for those who may not have the time or space to engage in more extended physical activity.

💡Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low blood sugar levels, which can cause symptoms like dizziness and fatigue. The video script uses hypoglycemia as an example of the potential health issues that can arise from having too little carbohydrates in the diet.

💡Mental Clarity

Mental clarity refers to the ability to think and understand clearly without confusion or distraction. The script discusses how high insulin spikes and subsequent crashes can negatively affect mental clarity, emphasizing the importance of stable blood sugar levels for optimal cognitive function.

💡Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's response to harmful stimuli and can lead to redness, swelling, and pain. In the context of the video, inflammation is associated with high blood sugar levels, which can result from insulin spikes and contribute to various health problems, including the difficulty in healing wounds for diabetic individuals.

Highlights

Carbohydrates are essential for providing energy to the body and are used by every cell.

Too much or too little carbohydrates can lead to health issues, emphasizing the importance of balance.

India is now the leading country in type 2 diabetes, highlighting a significant health concern.

The podcast aims to provide actionable steps to prevent and manage disorders, including type 2 diabetes.

Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for the body, as indicated by the body's quick switch back to carbs after ketosis.

The body has mechanisms to maintain a steady supply of glucose, even in the absence of carbohydrate intake.

The amount of carbohydrates required varies based on factors like age, gender, activity level, and muscle mass.

High insulin spikes can lead to inflammation, brain fog, and energy crashes.

Food sequencing—eating fiber, protein, and fat before carbohydrates—can help manage insulin spikes.

Apple cider vinegar can slow down carb conversion to glycogen and signal muscles to uptake more glycogen.

Sleeping immediately after eating can cause unusually high insulin spikes.

Incorporating physical activity after meals can help reduce insulin spikes.

Cal raises can be an effective way to control sugar response when walking is not feasible.

Managing insulin spikes is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and preventing inflammation.

Insulin spikes can lead to fat storage as the body tries to protect itself from an inflammatory state.

The podcast provides insights and techniques for better understanding and managing carbohydrate metabolism.

Transcripts

why do carbs have such a bad name how

much of carbs is it too much is it too

less how much do we require so it's it's

a double less sword with carbs two less

of carbs might not be the best excluding

in the case of a ke desing de and too

much of carbs is also not good in fact

too much of carbs uh leads to a lot of

disease there are everyday techniques

that uh our viewers can can use but uh

incorporating thisch techniques we'll

make sure that the spike we get is not

very high so if the spike is not very

high the crash will will be

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less today we're going to be talking

about an interesting topic carbohydrate

metabolism I recently learned that India

is now the leading country in type 2

diabetes I don't think that that is

something that we should be proud about

by the end of this series we will have

actionable steps and Frameworks to

prevent and also manage existing

disorders and um the hope is to help you

and to equip you with the knowledge to

control your mental health your body

composition fertility and also may it

may prevent uh disorders like Alzheimer

type 2 diabetes

pcod and also guys disclaimer this

is based on our perspective I'm going

through something personally and uh

everything that I talk about I

personally practice myself I'll has

helped many many people manage their

health better so this podcast is not

sponsored by a particular brand or a

particular product this is purely meant

to help you guys from just sharing

valuable information and that is what we

hope and seek to do so let's get to it

Alish what is carbohydrates what is it

used for uh first of all thank you for

that Lovely intruction Sam so

carbohydrates are basically something

that we eat on a daily basis all the

sugar starches that we get from bread

fruits all the cereals and everything

that we eat on a daily basis the primary

function of carbohydrates in the body is

to provide uh energy to us and each and

every cell in the body has a receptor

for the carbohydrate to be utilized so

why is carb why do carbs have such a bad

name um so it's it's a double l sword

with carbs two less of carbs might not

be the best excluding uh in the case of

a ketogenic diet and too much of carbs

is also not good in fact too much of

carbs leads to a lot of disease the ones

that we touched upon but carbs is

essential for the functioning of a

regular individual who can't omit carbs

as a part of their diet uh because you

know day-to-day life we have to

socialize we have to work and we have to

live a normal life and for them it is

almost inevitable to Omit out carbs for

them this information is going to be

really help helpful none of us can omit

carbs like I mean yeah yeah there are uh

certain individuals who have resorted to

to that but those are very few uh and it

has held them out too and just to

understand how basic carbs is for us

like right now I if I'm talking to you

my brain is using carbs glycogen uh my

muscle motor units are using gly

glycogen I'm able to comprehend

information because at this point in

time body is utilizing carbs to even

engage in this conversation so it is

that primary to us so it is not

something that we can evade but it is

definitely something that we can better

our relationship with for sure yeah I I

think that we can certainly better our

relationship with carbs and I hope by

the end of this particular episode

people understand carbs and how useful

it is and how to probably get it right I

think that it was an uphill climb for me

as well for a while to get how much of

carbs is it too much is it too less

because sometimes I had

hypoglycemia at night and that was when

I was having too less carbs so I think

that it's important to have the right

quantity of carbs so when you're saying

it's used you're using it for your brain

your muscle could you explain that a

little deeper the exports are divided on

this that carbohydrates might be the

preferred source of fuel that the body

has and we have come to this conclusion

because as soon as the body scab

deprived and in a state of ketosis for a

longer duration of time it it doesn't

take very long for the body to switch

back to uh carbs so that's why we have

an understanding that carbs could be the

preferred source of uh fuel for the body

and also we have mechanism within the

body even if you're not having carbs

body can convert Amino acids and

proteins in in into car so there are

various defense mechanism built within

the body so that the supply of glucose

that we have is steady and constant

throughout for example if we are

stressed uh we'll see an insulin Spike

always even though if we had not had had

carbs right uh so the workout that we do

is um is also stressor for us and since

brain can't distinguish between an

actual threat and a perceived thre

threat as soon as the sugar level goes

down the body harnesses gly glycogen

from other sources in the body and we

get a spike so that we get through that

event stressor event as smoothly as we

can so how much do we

require yeah so that's a great question

now how much carbs we require is

different for different individual it

will depend upon many factors like your

age your gender uh the f days of the

monthly cycle that you are in your

metabolism and there are other co-actors

to to it it too but one thing we know

for sure is that um if you if your

activity level is high you can

definitely take higher amount of cars

and if you have more muscle mass then

definitely your ability to metabolize

carbs is definitely more than a person

who has lesser amount of muscle mass why

is the case that we'll be understanding

in a later episode where we specifically

talk about type two

diabetes but one thing we know for sure

is that uh the activity level and the

muscle mass uh determines how much or

how little carbs we can have but having

said that uh we still don't have the

answer right how much cars that we need

to have so rather than thinking the

amount of cubs uh we can it'll be more

benefit of us if we think that the

insulin Spike or the sugar Spike that we

get after ingesting cups that has to be

minimized so body has an inherent need

of maintaining the blood sugar level

between 80 to 120 that's the state of

homeostasis that that we have um if it

goes beyond 120 uh the higher it goes

the more out of homostasis the body is

it is a source of inflammation to us and

body just wants to get rid of that

excess sugar that we have in in the

blood and it does that by raising the in

insulin that we have and once we have

the sugar spike it leads to multiple

things for example if we have a sugar

Spike that will lead to a space of a

brain fog that means our ability to

process information would not be as High

um there is a lack of mental Clarity and

also when the spike is high a higher

Spike is accompanied with a higher

dip so once we eat something that is

higher in glycemic level we get a high

we get a dip and then there is an energy

crash right and energy crash would be a

state where we are feeling not great

mood wise some people also get headache

some people feel low and you're saying

after they eat

something that raises their insul like

that spikes insulin there's also an

immediate crash yes okay and that state

of Crash is also a stressor to the body

and uh our mood is disregulated we are

feeling low and in that state just to uh

get the blood sugar level to the

appropriate level that the body wants it

to be at we get cravings and we always

crave for something sweet or something

that is going to get the blood glucose

again back up right so I was wearing the

gluc glucose monitor and um just to

check my spikes and I realized that even

though my meal was extremely healthy

there were

some I don't know they were unusual

spikes which shouldn't really happen

with the kind of food that I was eating

so I realized that just by

switching the food from eat you know

switching the food around like eating

fiber eating my vegetables first eating

my my protein second and then the carbs

kind of reduced the levels kind of

reduced that you know that Spike up

straight there were much it was much

more um normal and much more uh there

wasn't any like great spikes so why was

that yeah so there are everyday

techniques that our viewers can can use

in order to manage the in insulin Spike

even though the food we are having is

same in the quantity as well but uh

incorporating these techniques we'll

make sure that the spike we get is not

very high so if the spike is not very

high the crash will be less so what we

would want is to have a steady supply of

uh sugar in our blood stream and the

more we do that the more mood

stabilization we'll have the more the

more stabilized M Clarity we'll have the

more stable energy levels we will have

and that is one of those uh uh

techniques and diving into those

techniques the number one technique uh

or the number one tip ra rather because

this is not one one of those techniques

that we'll be talking about is the food

choices that we have mhm if we eat food

from Whole Foods uh less process food

less process uh sugar and all those

things um we are more likely to have a

stable supply of sugar within a blood so

food sequencing is an food sequencing

yeah that that's the term so food

sequencing is an important part of

managing the insulin Spike so let's just

say I have in front of me my fiber my

carb and my protein and if I eat the

carb first and protein and fiber

following that we'll be getting a higher

Spike right but I eat my fiber protein

and fat first and follow that with the

carbs even though the food and the

quantity is the same the spike will be

less but let me ask you something so

like now we we kind of have

I get home food and there's separate

vegetables and separate protein and

separate carbs but then you know if

you're grabbing like a sandwich that has

the carb and uh the chicken the protein

in between and also the veggies in

between and you're taking a big bite of

all three combined what does one do then

for that Spike which let's be honest

most most people on the go this is what

they eat yeah so a if we eat a process

food it is going to give us but what if

we add a salad before

the before the sandwich would that help

adding adding uh salad before the

sandwich is definitely going to help

there are few other things that we can

incorporate to cut that Spike for

example having apple cider vinegar

before the meal or along with the meal

even we speak about apple cider vinegar

a lot maybe we should actually invest in

an apple cider vinegar

brand come out with it because we really

really we really really love apple cider

vinegar don't we yeah yeah yeah and also

a slight disclaimer in order to properly

utilize apple cyer vinegar our digestive

function needs to be on point if

somebody is going through bouts of uh

higher acidity within their gut and uh

they have uh they feel Burning

Sensations when they take something uh

as cdic they need to fix that first uh

before going to so if you're if you're

feeling uneasy and if you're feeling if

there's a burning you stop using apple

cider vinegar that's that's your cue to

stop to not use yeah until you fix your

gut yeah so the mucosal lining of the

digestive tract needs to be fixed first

mhm and then apple cider vinegar would

be of higher used to us so apple cider

vinegar will have something called as

acidic as acid and the way it works is

that uh it works in a twofold kind kind

of a way so if we have apple cider V

along with the meal it slows down the

process of converting carbs into

glycogen so there is a slower release of

carbs in the bloodstream MH that's

number one and the second thing is that

it signals the muscle to uptake more

glycogen into the muscle so a the which

is what we want yeah we want that so

number one the release is slow and the

number second thing is uh whatever

release there is some of it is going

into the muscle as well then it would

have gone with without the apple cider

vinegar so it works in a two-fold kind

off off way okay and so then is that how

I build muscle and get lean mass and

stuff like that if if my muscle is

absorbing more of the glycogen so uh so

it we be not we will not be building

muscles but we our muscles definitely

appear to be Fuller and when we work out

we'll have more ready energy right right

work work out so another uh I know that

everybody's not going to walk around

with a glucose monitor so I'm just going

to uh share some of my experiences that

I've had with it one being that I didn't

understand why there was unusual spikes

because I was eating good food but then

when I sequenced when I did the food

sequencing and changed around the

pattern and I realized that it was not

it wasn't spiking so that was a valuable

tip another thing I realized that when I

um I don't usually sleep in the

afternoon but um I remember this day was

extremely tired so I ate and I slept

immediately and when I woke up the spike

was just like off the charts and it

stayed there for like 3 hours and I

realized that sleeping right after a

meal is not good which most of us do you

know like we always try to sneak in that

20 minute nap after food so it's not

really good is it yeah so in order to so

that's another tip that you would want

to give our viewers is that if we

include an activity after the meal uh

most of the case we recommend our

clients to walk uh then that make sure

that the insulin spike is blunt a very

interesting thing that has been uh

understood in the re recent researches

is that if you cannot walk or if you can

do Cal raises really yeah that also

allows us to reduce the spike from the

uh from the food that we get car phases

car phases yeah so how many CF raises um

so it's like just saying how how how

many steps so let's just say even if you

do five C raises it's better than doing

no none no walking yeah okay okay so

right now re recently when I took an

international flight uh the flight meals

are not the bestest in terms of the

macronutrient ratio that they had and it

is not very feasible to walk the length

of the P back and forth so I was

standing and I was doing a lot of Cal

raises and the sugar response is more

controlled when I did that so if you are

somebody who does not have the time to

walk I think Cal ra can also be a great

hack that they can Implement in order to

blend the sugar response that they have

yeah and you don't need space you can

just do it anywhere right is scarf

raises okay this is something even I'm

going to I'm going to try as well we

understand how we can prevent these

insulin spikes but why should we care so

much about this this why should we care

so much about insulin spikes yeah uh

that's really important for everyone to

know that like we discussed the state of

homeostasis is between 80 to 1

20 and as soon as there is a spike uh

the body has to get rid of that Spike

because uh we are in an inflammatory

State then and we are more prone to

infections because the sugar content in

the blood is high that's why it is

difficult for a diabetic to heal a wound

than a non-diabetic individual so in a

way our immune system is protecting us

from that Spike and the way in which it

handles is that it shuttles it to

different parts of the body liver muscle

gly gly glycogen and the last one is the

edose tissue or the fat that we have so

in a way we gain fat because we have an

excess amount of sugar mhm in the body

and our body wants to Pro protect us

from that inflammatory State and it

shuttles it into the uh edpost tissues

uh that we have so if we incorporate all

the things that we talked about and we

blend the insulin response the amount of

fat that we store would be less because

it is a steady supply of sugar in the

blood rather than a spike and a crash

okay so with that we end our first

episode and uh looking forward to

learning more on this subject in our

next episode

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