Over the last three weeks, we’ve walked through the foundations of gut health, which becomes even more important during the holiday season.

• Week 1: Supporting your beneficial bacteria
  

• Week 2: Feeding that microbiome properly
  

• Week 3: Strengthening digestion from the top down
  

This week, we’re shifting to something that fluctuates every single day.

Your blood glucose ("blood sugar")

Common Signs of Poor Glucose Regulation (That People Ignore)

Many people will recognize these symptoms… but maybe don’t realize they’re blood glucose-related:

• Cravings for sweets, especially after meals
  

• Frequent thirst (the body tries to dilute elevated blood glucose)
  

• Energy crashes or feeling tired after meals
  

• Feeling shaky or irritable between meals (your body is inefficient at switching to fat for energy)
  

• Blurred vision (glucose affects the pressure and shape of the eye)
  

• Difficulty focusing
  

These aren’t random “off days.” These are metabolic signals. And here’s the important part - these markers can shift in a matter of WEEKS.

So if your diet and activity have been off since late November (or since Halloween)… your metabolic health has already adapted to that pattern.

What You Can Do to Stabilize Glucose

Even during a chaotic holiday season, these three variables have the biggest impact. Think about how these may or may not change for you during the holiday season. If so, what improvements can you make?

1. Eat Enough Protein

This is the #1 nutrition variable for stable blood glucose. When protein is low you get more variability of blood glucose (variability is terrible for overall health), you may experience increased appetite or cravings, and your energy levels become inconsistent. 

2. Exercise is the Most Powerful Lifestyle Variable

Exercise makes your cells dramatically more sensitive to blood glucose. Exercise literally causes glucose transporters to move to the surface of cells so it can 'suck up' glucose in your blood stream and put it to good use. Just a single weight training session can improve glucose regulation for 24-48 hours. 

3. Glucose Disposal Agent

This is one of the most effective tools when diet and training are inconsistent — which is exactly what happens in December.

How they work:

• Reduce prolonged elevations in blood glucose
  

• Improve insulin sensitivity
  

• Support metabolic flexibility
  

• Reduce post-meal crashes
  

Use atplab's Gluco Control with your biggest meals, especially higher-carbohydrate meals. If you want your metabolism to stay on track during the season, when it usually falls off, Gluco Control is one of the most reliable tools you can use. Don't forget that small, daily interventions add up quickly.