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Blood Sugar & Mental Acuity & Focus

Posted by Jenaé Miles on
Blood Sugar & Mental Acuity & Focus - Extend Nutrition

Extend Blog: Blood Sugar and Mental Acuity/ Focus

Do you have trouble concentrating?

Does it feel like your focus is off some days? It might be your blood sugar level. Studies show uncontrolled glucose numbers can mess with your mental acuity, making it hard to accomplish your daily tasks. With a lower blood glucose level, you can feel more alert and focused. The best way to achieve this is through a healthy diet, balanced meal plans, regular exercise, and getting a good night's sleep.


How Does Blood Sugar Affect Cognitive Functions?

Your body has a lot going on, and it is essential to keep your blood sugar in check. Too much or too little glucose can lead you down the wrong path with serious consequences. For example, when there's not enough fuel for your muscles, they get weak, which could cause you to collapse. On the other hand, high sugar levels are also dangerous because they cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and even vision issues. These side effects won't give you any room to focus.

Your brain requires fuel just like every other muscle in the body. When there isn't enough glucose to power your higher-level thinking, you may feel like your mental acuity is lacking. You may even experience memory problems or confusion, which could lead to some serious consequences at work or anywhere in your life.

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What are the Long-Term Effects of High Blood Glucose on Mental Acuity?

It's not just important to achieve lower blood glucose levels. The mental focus issues you're experiencing now can worsen and lead to permanent damage. Studies show people producing higher A1C levels experience brain shrinkage.  In addition, combined with other health problems associated with high sugar consumption, mental focus issues can increase. These conditions include hypertension and elevated cholesterol, both of which can lead to heart disease and stroke. However, the body is an amazing vessel. When caught in time, you can reduce and limit the adverse effects of excess blood sugar. 


Ways to Lower Blood Glucose & Improve Mental Focus & Acuity

You can lower blood sugar and improve mental focus by eating healthy foods without added sugars, refined flours, or processed oils (think vegetables, whole grains, fruit, beans). By simply skipping the breadbasket in your favorite restaurant or grabbing a low-fat Greek yogurt instead of a vending machine chocolate bar for an afternoon snack, you will see and feel dramatic results. Additionally, don't skip meals, especially breakfast, exercise regularly, and stick to a healthy sleep cycle.

Choose the Right Foods

Many foods can help you achieve lower blood glucose levels. The key is to eat a balanced diet rich in protein, fiber, and low carbohydrates. Avoid sugary fruits and candies, which can cause spikes in blood glucose that lead to quick drops that leave you hungry after consuming empty calories. Instead, choose healthy carbs, such as almonds, green leafy vegetables, and lean meats.

Don't Skip Meals

Skipping meals can cause your blood sugar to dip. Additionally, it'll increase your hunger later, possibly leading to overeating and a quick rise in glucose levels. The up and down blood sugar readings can leave you drained, produce a brain fog, and make it difficult to concentrate on necessary tasks. 

The worst meal of the day to skip is breakfast. We get it. Life's busy, and it's easy to get distracted and miss a meal. To avoid these pitfalls that can cause problems with your mental acuity, always keep a healthy snack nearby. Extend Nutrition bars and shakes are great anytime snacks that provide protein to control blood sugar for up to nine hours, help control hunger, and food cravings and continue to deliver continuous healthy long lasting natural energy at the same time. This quickly can lower blood glucose and set you up for a long, tiring day.

Maintain a Healthy Sleep Pattern

When you don't get enough sleep, it's more challenging to maintain glucose levels.  Additionally, sleep is essential for maintaining mental alertness and helps you think clearly, which improves your focus. A good night's sleep can help overcome mental fogginess. For the best start to your day, get seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. 

Avoid letting hunger interrupt your sleep cycle. If necessary, have a healthy evening snack that will keep your appetite at bay until the morning. An Extend Nutrition Bar or Shake is an excellent way to control hunger for up to nine hours and blood sugar. Also, you don't have to worry about sugar weighing you down. All Extend nutrition products contain no or low sugar, making them an excellent treat before bed.

Regular Exercise

Exercise can make a significant difference in helping to normalize blood sugar levels.  It also allows you to feel more energized and clear.  Exercising improves your mood and is the best antidepressant there is. Try to find an hour each day to exercise. If possible, try to work out in the morning. It gets your metabolism going and helps with cravings later in the day. 

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill exercise and sport science professor Anthony Hackney explained to Time Magazine,

"In the early morning hours, you have a hormonal profile that would predispose you to better metabolism of fat ... you'll draw more of your energy from fat reserves." 

Additionally, a 2019 study found that people who work out in the morning can shift their circadian rhythm or body's internal sleep clock earlier. This change might help you stay alert in the morning. No matter what time you decide to exercise, it's vital to keep active as much as possible. If a gym's not available, 30 minutes of walking every day can do wonders for your blood sugar. Also, it's beneficial for maintaining healthy levels, which keeps you more alert throughout the day.

HEALTH + WELLNESS
by Blood Sugar Control


Buy Extend Nutrition Bars and Shakes to Promote Mental Acuity 

Extend Protein Bars and Shakes are perfect for anyone looking to improve blood sugar control. They taste great, boost your energy naturally and provide six to nine hours of blood sugar control.  Each protein product contains 140-160 calories, is low glycemic, low fat, helps curb your appetite and delivers a long lasting natural burst of energy.  If you notice your focus and energy waning in the afternoon, an Extend Anytime Protein Bar or Extend Shake may help you regain that focus. Extend Nutrition Bars and Shakes are an excellent source of protein. For people on a keto diet, they're an ideal way to curb hunger without spiking their blood glucose levels.

Extend Anytime Protein Bars

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