Blood Sugar
& Insulin Balancing
ESSENTIAL FOR: GUT HEALING, IMMUNE SUPPORT, ADRENAL
HEALTH, HORMONE BALANCING, CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH, AND
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT
The secret to balancing blood sugar and insulin levels comes down to protein intake! The bottom
line, protein is essential for gut healing, immune support, adrenal health, hormone balancing, heart
health and maintaining a healthy weight. The Mediterranean diet and paleo diet are two dietary
patterns that have been shown to be beneficial for blood glucose and insulin control. The key is
PROTEIN. The Institute of Functional Medicine recommends protein should account for 20% to 30%
of daily calorie intake for most individuals. Usually when my clients track protein, they are not get-
ting enough! When you don’t get enough protein, this affects every body system. A vital part of your
Vibrant Health protocol is to add protein at each meal. Essentially, every single time you eat, even if
it’s just a snack, you should be having protein combined with your carbs and fat.
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First, Let’s explore food
sources of protein:
ANIMAL: Proteins from animal sources are considered
to be “complete” proteins, because they contain all of the
amino acids your body needs to get from food (known
collectively as essential amino acids). Animal proteins in-
clude meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish.
BEANS & LEGUMES: These are good sources of
both protein and carbohydrates. They also contain other
vitamins and minerals like folate (vitamin B9), potassium,
iron, and magnesium.
PLANTS: Most plant proteins are considered to be “in-
complete”, because they do not contain all
of the essential amino acids. Plant proteins include beans,
grains and vegetables. Higher-protein vegetables in-
clude dark leafy greens (collard greens, spinach, mus-
tard greens, etc.), asparagus, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, and cauliflower. Foods like tofu, tempeh, and spi-
rulina are also plant proteins.
DAIRY: *Note: dairy is a highly inflammatory food and
therefore it is recommended you avoid cow dairy during
your body restoring process. Goat and sheep dairy is
generally better tolerated than cow dairy. This handout is
meant to be a comprehensive explanation of sources of
protein which is why dairy is included here. This does not
mean you should eat dairy if you have a sensitivity or are
on a Leaky Gut protocol. Dairy products like milk and yo-
gurt are good sources of both protein and carbohydrates.
Cheese is also a good protein source, but is low in carbo-
hydrates. Note that not everyone can digest dairy prop-
erly, and dairy is not necessary to include in a balanced
diet. For those who choose to consume dairy, full-fat and
organic sources are preferred.
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NUTS & SEEDS: Both are sources of protein and fat. They also contain many other vitamins
and minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, and copper.
PROTEIN POWDERS: Are usually added to smoothies and other blended foods for an extra
protein boost. They can be an inexpensive and convenient addition to a balanced diet, especially
for athletes, the elderly, or people with digestive issues. Protein powders are made from either an-
imal protein (whey, casein, beef, or eggs) or plant protein (soy, rice, pea, hemp, or sprouted grains).
Next Let’s look at an overview of balanced eating for
blood sugar control:
PROTEIN:
• Make sure you meet your daily protein needs which is 0.8 g / kg/ day.
• In the United States, the recommended dietary allowance of protein is 46 grams per day for
women and 56 grams per day for men. These figures apply to healthy adults over the age of
19, and are a measure of the level of protein needed to meet daily nutritional requirements.
Other research suggests that adults should get a minimum of 8 grams of protein for every 20
pounds of body weight.
• Spread protein intake throughout the day, consuming some protein at every meal to help
maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Some good protein sources to consider are wild-caught
fish, grass-fed organic meat, chicken, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds, and protein powder.
• At least three times each week, choose wild-caught fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring,
and halibut. They are excellent sources of omega-3 fats, which offer significant protection
against hardening of the arteries and enhance insulin sensitivity in diabetes.
• If you absolutely don’t want to eat fish, then be very faithful with a high quality practitioner
grade omega 3 fish oil product.
FATS:
• Some of the healthy fat sources are: olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.
• Do not be afraid to eat real fats in moderation, including grass fed butter, ghee, and cold
• or pure-pressed oils.
• Do not eat damaged fats. Fats used in deep-frying, oils derived by heat processing, and hy-
drogenated or trans fats are harmful to your health. All proteins (meat, poultry, eggs, and fish)
should be cooked at low, even temperatures to avoid damaging the fats they contain. Satu-
rated (butter) and monounsaturated (olive and avocado oil) fats are more resistant to damage
from heat, so are best used for cooking.
• When purchasing oils, look for cold-pressed oils sold in opaque containers that lessen oxida-
tion caused by exposure to light.
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NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES:
• Try to consume at least 6–8 servings
of non-starchy vegetables daily.
They provide vitamins, minerals
and fiber. Fiber slows down the
digestive process, lowering
the glycemic index of the en-
tire meal, and is essential for a
healthy digestive system.
• Common non-starchy veg-
etables include: asparagus,
bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflow-
er, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green
beans, greens (beet greens, chicory
greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens,
etc.), jicama, jalapeno peppers, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, on-
ions, parsley, radishes, snap beans, snow peas, spinach, spaghetti
squash, summer squash (crookneck, scallop, zucchini), Swiss chard,
tomatoes, watercress.
CARBOHYDRATES:
• Always eat carbohydrates in combination with protein and fat.
• Monitor the effects of the meals you consume on your blood sugar levels to develop an un-
derstanding of how much, and which carbohydrates you can tolerate. You can check this at
home with a blood sugar monitor.
• Have a balanced whole foods diet by eating the following each day: three balanced meals
containing protein, fat, and non-starchy vegetables.
• If you need snacks, be sure they contain a combination of protein, fat, and non-starchy vegeta-
bles.
• Do not eat refined carbohydrates, examples of which include products made from refined
grains such as wheat flour or white rice. Examples include bagels, cold cereal, noodles, pan-
cakes, pasta, pizza dough, pie crust, spaghetti, waffles, white bread, English muffins, hamburg-
er buns, and white rice.
SUGAR & PROCESSED FOOD:
• Check labels for the following and avoid them: Sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, polydex-
trose, corn syrup, sorbitol, maltodextrin.
• Avoid desserts: Including flavored yogurts, fruit leathers, granola and other snack bars, as well
as the obvious cakes, candy, cookies, ice cream, etc.
• Avoid processed snack foods including corn chips, pork skins, potato chips, pretzels, tortilla
chips, trail mix.
• Avoid condiments containing sugar and chemicals: Including barbecue sauces, hoisin sauce,
ketchup, relishes, sweet pickles, salad dressing, worcestershire. You can find high quality sug-
ar-free condiments by reading labels carefully. A reputable brand is Primal Kitchen, however
be sure to check every single label before purchasing.
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Best Carbohydrate Choices:
• Starchy vegetables: Acorn and butternut squash, artichokes, beets, cooked carrots, green
peas, potatoes, rutabagas, yams, turnips, plantains, parsnips.
• Legumes: Black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, pinto beans, soy-
beans (whole, not processed in tofu), split peas.
• Fruits: Choose fresh or frozen fruits without added sugar. Examples of fruit servings include:
1 small apple, ½ medium banana, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 cup cherries, ½ large grapefruit, 15
grapes, 1 large kiwi, 1 ½ cups diced honeydew, 1 medium orange, 1 medium peach, ½ large
pear, ¾ cup pineapple, 1 cup raspberries, 1 ½ cups strawberries, 2 small tangerines, 1 medium
tomato, 1 ¼ cups diced watermelon.
• Whole grains and products made from whole grain flours: Whole grains are preferable to
products made from their flours as whole grains are more slowly digested. Examples of whole
grains include: brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat groats, bulgur (tabbouleh), millet, oats, quinoa.
A ⅓ cup serving of most grains contains approximately 1 serving or 15g of carbohydrate. Exam-
ples of products made from whole grains include: sprouted wheat bread, corn tortillas, brown
rice cakes.
• Nuts and seeds: An average serving of most nuts is 1 oz or 2 tbsp of nut butter. Examples of
healthy nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, chia seeds,
sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. Paired with a small piece of fruit or vegetables, they make a
great snack.
You may want to add blood sugar support supplements, protein powders
and snack bars to speed your progress.
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Blood Sugar Support
For lowest cost and free shipping, visit https://www.designsforhealth.com/u/laura/ to order supplements
directly from Designs For Health. Prices beat Amazon and shipping is free!!
PALEOMEAL™
PaleoMeal® is a nutrient-dense meal supplement with complete protein,
a very low glycemic impact, and nutrients predominantly in their
bioidentical forms. It features HydroBEEF™, a highly concentrated beef
protein sourced from animals raised in Sweden without hormones and
fed a diet entirely free of GMO grains, grasses, hay, and/or ensilage. The
protein is produced through an exclusive hydrolysis and ultra-filtration
process that enables the protein to be hydrolyzed or "split" into a high
concentration of functional peptides.
PUREPEA™
PurePea™ is a delicious, dairy-free, plant-derived protein powdered
supplement that offers nutritional protein support, along with other
nutritional benefits.* It provides 20 grams of protein in the form of a
pea protein isolate. PurePea™ does not contain casein, gluten, or
lactose, making it ideal for even the strictest vegetarians and vegans,
or anyone who is looking for a vegetarian protein with superior
digestibility.
PUREPALEO™
PurePaleo™ is a novel, great-tasting, dairy-free protein powder, yield-
ing 21 to 26 grams of protein per serving (depending on the flavor). It
contains HydroBEEF™, a highly concentrated, pure beef protein, pro-
duced through an exclusive proprietary process that allows the protein
to be hydrolyzed into more peptides, resulting in easier absorption and
assimilation. This product contains beef from animals raised in Sweden
without hormones or antibiotics, and it is non-GMO and free of grains,
grasses, and/or ensilage.
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Blood Sugar Support
For lowest cost and free shipping, visit https://www.designsforhealth.com/u/laura/ to order supplements
directly from Designs For Health. Prices beat Amazon and shipping is free!!
Bone Broth Chocolate Crunch
A delicious functional supplement bar that boasts a chocolatey oat milk
coating, and a chewy hot-cocoa flavored protein filling boosted with
the amino acid taurine. The protein blend uniquely combines grass-fed,
hydrolyzed bone broth protein (as HydroBEEF™) and pea protein crisps
to create a comprehensive and complementary amino acid profile.
Features bone broth protein to support joint, skin, and gut function.
Taurine added to promote metabolic health. Only 4 g of net carbs and
0 grams of sugar; sweetened with allulose, stevia extract, and monk
fruit for minimal impact on blood sugar. 8 g of fiber per bar. U.S.A.
manufactured in Florida from U.S. and globally sourced premium
ingredients
Bold Beauty Collagen™
A delicious and nutritious functional supplement bar designed to
promote healthier-looking, radiant hair, skin, and nails.* This birthday
cake-flavored bar is formulated with an oat milk white chocolate
coating and a crispy protein filling. Each bar provides 7 g of plant
protein from pea protein crisps and cashew butter and 7 g of collagen
peptides. Lustriva® is a stabilized blend of biotin and silica that helps
promote hair and nail shine and strength and overall skin texture.
Biotin, silica, and collagen peptides added to promote radiant hair, skin,
and nails. 14 g protein per bar. Only 5 g net carbs and 1 g total sugar
per bar; sweetened primarily with allulose for minimal impact on blood
sugar. U.S.A. manufactured in Florida from U.S. and globally sourced
premium ingredients
GLUCOSUPREME™ HERBAL
GlucoSupreme™ Herbal is ideal for supporting healthy insulin and
glucose metabolism. This unique, synergistic formula combines stan-
dardized herbs and other botanicals that are shown to support healthy
blood sugar through various mechanisms, including corosolic acid from
banaba, isoflavones from kudzu, and ginsenosides from ginseng. It also
contains berberine (Berberis aristata), a compound highly regarded for
its efficacy in supporting healthy blood glucose metabolism and normal
insulin sensitivity.
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Blood Sugar Support
For lowest cost and free shipping, visit https://www.designsforhealth.com/u/laura/ to order supplements
directly from Designs For Health. Prices beat Amazon and shipping is free!!
METABOLIC SYNERGY™
Metabolic Synergy™ helps maintain healthy glucose and insulin metab-
olism while supporting the conversion of carbohydrates to be used for
energy by providing nutrients for the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA). The
chromium, zinc, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum are provided
as true chelates for maximum absorption and bioavailability. This formu-
la also contains optimal levels of R-lipoic acid, taurine, and carnosine to
support healthy glucose metabolism.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This
guide is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is
recommended you discuss a new supplement routine with your doctor or pediatrician
before using.
For additional information or support, contact:
Laura Frontiero
Support@LauraFrontiero.com
www.LauraFrontiero.com
