In the Wellness Challenge we run for companies, one of our goals is to introduce simple swaps that can make a big impact on employee health. One of the meals we highlight is breakfast. #HEALatwork Breakfast is one of the meals where North Americans tend to get the most sugar & refined carbs in their diet, but the research shows that a high protein breakfast will do a much better job at balancing your blood sugar not only in the morning, but even well into later on in the day. If you are someone that gets hungry shortly after breakfast, are constantly grazing, or suffers from brain fog, I highly recommend looking at your breakfast foods. >> Smoothies: make sure you add a protein source like a scoop of protein powder (I love @genuinehealth), hemp seeds (3 tbsp = 10g protein) or collagen powder. Bonus points if you can include some fiber and fats (e.g. ground flax, nut butter, etc.). >> Cereal & Instant Oatmeal: these tend to be full of sugar which will spike your blood sugar. Try plain oatmeal with nuts/seeds & some fruit to sweeten it instead. Even if you make whole oats, you'll find you stay fuller, longer with addition of some fats/protein. >> Toast: I promise I won't take away your bread :) But adding some avocado or pairing your toast with eggs is a simple addition you can make for a more blood sugar balancing meal. Try choosing whole grains or sourdough. >> Sweetened Yogurt: You're better off always choosing unsweetened products and adding your own sweetener, like whole fruit or even a little honey. Your taste buds will change over time! Not a big breakfast person? Just make sure your first meal of the day follows the same principle of low sugar/refined cards & more protein, healthy fats & fiber. . . . #hyperglycemia #hypoglycemia #bloodsugar #smoothiehacks #breakfasttips #nutritiontips #continousglucosemonitor #bloodsugartips #brainfog #nocravings #hypoglycemia #corporatewellness #workplacewellness #workplacementalhealth #thriveglobal 
It’s feeling like spring but I’m still into soups. This is a turkey soup and I added spinach while it was warming up. #yumyum #glutenfreelunch #homemadesoup #lunchideas 
If you nerd out on blood sugar like me, I want to talk about some foods that surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) can really spike your blood sugar. This is helpful to know because when your blood sugar spikes, it's followed by a crash that then makes you more prone to cravings, brain fog, fatigue and irritability. The main thing you want to keep an eye on is if you're experiencing a yo-yo of blood sugar throughout the day and if it's affecting how you feel. >> Dates: Dates really don't have any added sugar, but 1 date is ~5g of sugar, and it's hard to eat only one. Make sure you pair these with a nut butter or use them as post-workout fuel. >> Yams/sweet potato: This one might surprise you! I would get a bigger-than-normal- spike even with these as a part of a balanced dinner. Quantity was key here and making sure they were truly the 'side' of the meal. >> Larabars: Similar to dates, these would be better for post-workout or if I'd been exercising around eating them. Also, watch out for the flavours that have more than just dates as their sweetener. >> Smoothies: I've talked about this FOREVER, but just make sure you have your added protein and healthy fats. I love @genuinehealth protein and #flax and #nutbutter in my smoothies. >> Pizza: Since I have #celiacdisease, the oven pizza we occasionally eat is usually made with lots of other refined flours. It definitely spikes my blood sugar more than I'd like. Rather than eating 3-4 pieces and getting a huge spike, I started having 2 and filling up on some extra protein & veggies on the side. On the plus side, dark chocolate (80%) did NOT spike my blood sugar! Does this mean I don't eat dates or pizza ever? No way haha. But seeing the real-time blood sugar response when I tracked it makes me more conscious of when I'm eating them and what I'm eating them with. . . . #hyperglycemia #hypoglycemia #bloodsugar #smoothiehacks #breakfasttips #nutritiontips #continousglucosemonitor #bloodsugartips #brainfog #nocravings #CGM 
Today on HEAL, we're sharing a case study from Natalia (@talbrags), the other Holistic Nutritionist on my team. This case study is from a custom meal planning client named Taylor who wanted support with meal planning during her second pregnancy.⠀ ⠀ Even if you aren't pregnant, if you struggle with cravings, brain fog, energy fluctuations, blood sugar issues or even an all-or-nothing mentality around food, I really recommend giving this one a read.⠀ ⠀ During her first pregnancy, Taylor had no idea what she should be eating or how much. She was hungry all the time and her energy levels were all over the place. And she was beating herself up over the cravings and food she was eating, which caused a lot of anxiety, and she really wanted to get more guidance this time around.⠀ ⠀ So today on HEAL, we're outlining in more detail why Taylor came to us and how we helped her.⠀ ⠀ I do want to emphasize that everyone’s pregnancy is different and everyone’s needs during pregnancy are a little different. This is merely to show an example of some of the ways in which we helped a client feel her best during pregnancy, through food. If you have questions about your pregnancy, please consult with your practitioner.⠀ ⠀ Find it linked in my bio. Enjoy!⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pregnancy #pregnancynutrition #pregnancydiet #pregnancyannouncement #pregnancyfashion #pregnancyjourney #pregnancytips #bloodsugar #bloodsugarcontrol #pregnantmama #pregnancyadvice #nutritionforpregnancy #nutrientdense