4 Tools for Blood Sugar Balance and Better Digestion
🕒 5-6 min read
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Balanced blood sugar supports energy, digestion, mood, and fewer cravings without the rollercoaster crashes.
Build meals with protein, fat, fiber, and slow eating to support healthy blood sugar and digestion.
Want a deeper reset? Join the waitlist for my 12-Week Gut Health Program.
If you’re tired of bloating, energy dips, or feeling out of sync with food, this one’s for you.
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Balancing your blood sugar doesn’t sound as sexy as chasing some metabolism or hormone hack. But it’s one of the most important behind-the-scenes players in how you feel every single day.
From your energy levels to your cravings, from your digestion to your mood, blood sugar balance is foundational to how your body functions and how you experience your life.
As a holistic nutritionist and gut health expert, I’ve spent over a decade helping clients connect the dots between what they eat and how they feel. More often than not, supporting blood sugar balance ends up being a simple, effective game-changer, without diving into keto strips or glucose monitors.
Because it’s not just about eating less sugar and carbs. It’s about how you eat, what you pair together, and when you slow down enough to let your body do what it does best.
Let’s take a look at four powerful tools (protein, fat, fiber, and time) that work together to stabilize your blood sugar, support your digestion, and help you feel more grounded, nourished, and energized.
Understanding Blood Sugar Balance
Blood sugar isn’t just a number. It’s a dynamic system your body manages every day. Insulin moves glucose into your cells for fuel, and glucagon releases it when you need extra energy. When this system works smoothly, you benefit from stable energy, efficient digestion, clear thinking, and a steady mood.
Blood sugar balance isn’t about charts or obsessive measuring. It’s about how you feel when it’s working: grounded, content, and calm energy.
How Blood Sugar Affects Energy, Mood, and Digestion
Even without a diabetes diagnosis, you may notice the effects of unsteady blood sugar. You might experience:
A post-meal crash
Mid-afternoon cravings
Irritability when you’re hungry
Digestive discomfort after certain meals
When your blood sugar spikes and dips throughout the day, your body is constantly recalibrating. Over time, this rollercoaster can contribute to:
Fatigue
Headaches
Anxiety or irritability
Trouble sleeping
PMS symptoms
Sugar cravings
Digestive issues
The good news is that supporting steady blood sugar doesn’t have to be restrictive or complicated. With a few simple tools grounded in real food, you can bring your meals, and your body, back into balance.
Balancing your blood sugar doesn’t have to be complicated. Enjoy a colorful bowl of veggies and beans with an oil based dressing and you’ve made a delicious step toward better blood sugar balance.
Ready to balance your blood sugar and support your digestion, without restriction or overwhelm? Join the Waitlist for the next launch of my 12-Week Gut Health Program!
Four Tools to Support Blood Sugar and Digestion
These four tools below work together to help stabilize your blood sugar, support digestion, and keep your body feeling energized and balanced.
1. Protein: The Stabilizing Force
Protein slows the breakdown of carbohydrates, helping glucose enter your bloodstream at a steadier pace. It also supports lean muscle, hormone balance, and satiety, making it essential, especially for women over 40.
Whole-food protein sources: Eggs, poultry, fish, beef, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lentils, legumes, tofu, tempeh, edamame, seeds, nuts, and even nutritional yeast.
Quick Tip: Think of protein as your steady anchor. It doesn’t need to dominate the plate, just show up consistently.
[Want to learn more about protein? Read my post here →]
2. Fat: The Quiet Supporter
Healthy fats slow digestion and can reduce blood sugar spikes by up to 14%. Fats also support your hormones, brain, and gut lining, making them a key player in women’s health.
Whole-food fat sources: Avocados, nuts and seeds, olives, olive oil, coconut, tahini, egg yolks, fatty fish, and full-fat organic dairy like yogurt or ghee.
Quick Tip: Let fats bring flavor and fullness. They round out a meal in more ways than one.
[Explore my post on healthy fats here →]
Oils like olive oil add richness, flavor, and balance to meals, rounding out your plate while helping to steady blood sugar.
3. Fiber: The Gentle Buffer
Fiber, especially from whole foods instead of processed ‘added fiber’ foods, slows the absorption of glucose and supports efficient digestion. It feeds beneficial gut bacteria and can help reduce bloating and constipation over time.
Whole-food fiber sources: Non-starchy veggies (zucchini, leafy greens, asparagus), starchy vegetables (sweet potato, squash), fruits (especially with skins), legumes, nuts, seeds, and ancient grains like quinoa or teff.
Quick Tip: Invite color onto your plate with fruits and vegetables. They bring the fiber and the color.
[Learn about Fiber in my blog here →]
4. Time: The Overlooked Ingredient
Eating slowly and mindfully allows your body to catch up with your brain, supports better digestion, and reduces glucose spikes after meals. Even 20 minutes can make a difference.
Mindful eating practices to try:
Pause for a deep breath before your first bite
Chew more than you think you need to
Put your utensils down between bites
Tune into the taste, texture, and aroma
Avoid multitasking, let eating be its own sacred act
Quick Tip: This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. Give yourself permission to slow down.
Final Thoughts: Build in Balance With Each Bite
When you fill your plate with protein, fat, and fiber, and take time to eat mindfully, you’re not just balancing blood sugar. You’re supporting your body with stability, nourishment, and balance.
This isn’t a rigid formula. It’s a flexible approach you can return to consistently, mindfully, and with intention.
Every meal is an invitation:
To honor your body
To support your digestion
To return to your natural energy
To feel good in your skin
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© Stephanie Walsh and Walsh Approach, 2025. I pour a lot of care into creating this content, so please don’t copy or reuse it without permission. You’re always welcome to share excerpts or links if you give clear credit back to Stephanie Walsh and Walsh Approach.