Please note: this transcript is not 100% accurate.
Anar Allidina 0:00
You know, this is so unfortunate because I work with so many of my clients who are in the pre diabetes and they’re like, I wish my doctor had told me something sooner. So when you’re in that range between 5.5% to like 5.9% that is like you have control of what’s going to happen.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 0:18
Hi, this is Dr. Meenal. And welcome to Uncover Your Eyes, where we uncover reality. As a mom and eye doctor, I want to know it all. I have struggled with weight loss, health issues and borderline sugars my whole life. I guess it’s inevitable with my South Asian genetics, binge eating, nighttime eating, eating probably the wrong foods, a lot of oily foods, a lot of fast foods, and a lot of just saturated fats, you know, whether it’s the chip bags or whatever’s easy to grab and goes. But you know, I feel like I’ve tried, I’ve tried things I’ve cut down on things I’ve cut down on certain foods, oily foods, I have tried eating more healthier salads, and counting calories. I’ve done everything to see if that can help my sugar levels, my health, my weight, everything. Nothing helped. I got to a point where I was literally I felt eating like a bird eating, packing food packing salad, you know, salad for lunch salad for dinner, and nothing was changing. My sugars were actually going up. I was confused. I was testing every morning, every night. I was like, You know what, I’m not losing weight. I’m not having healthy sugars. And I’m more tired. I’m not having enough sleep or good sleep, I would say I’m getting moody. I have lack of energy that was a big one lack of energy with my kids like being able to sit down and playing with them for longer periods of time. And that’s when I knew something was wrong. My body was not processing sugar the way it should. And it was beyond me. I needed help. That’s when I decided I’m getting that outside help. I cannot tell you the things that I have learned that have changed my life. Within a month, within a month of changing my lifestyle, my eating habits, my food pairing, understanding all of that has changed everything for dramatically from my mood being better, more energized my skin being better not to say having more energy to be with my kids playing with them outside. Definitely sleeping better. So sleeping through the night sleeping faster. And not to mention of course the added bonus of weight loss. And my sugars have been good. So if you feel this is you because I feel there are so many of us out there that struggle with this, then today’s episode is going to rock your world. Today I have with me Anar Allidina. She is someone that helped change my life. She is a registered dietician who specializes in helping people struggling with insulin resistance, including pre diabetes, type two diabetes, and helps to better manage symptoms of PCOS. She does so by helping clients balance their blood sugar’s boost energy and mood and decrease cravings without giving up your favorite foods or following a very restrictive diet. And that’s key without giving up your favorite foods because I didn’t want to live my life giving up my favorite foods. So please join me in welcoming Anar Allidina. Thanks, Anar, for being on today. We’re really happy and excited to have you
Anar Allidina 4:05
Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to be here.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 4:08
So, you know, there’s a lot of stress in healthcare nowadays. You know, we’re experiencing stress, whether it’s patient stress, family stress, work life balance, stress, like, where do you think that increase is coming from? Like, does it have to do with things in particular that you feel we have control over?
Anar Allidina 4:26
Yeah, absolutely. That’s a really great question. And you mentioned it so nicely, that, you know, the stress, you know, just working with patient, right, being a healthcare worker, you know, you go into this profession and to help people, right, and with everything going on, especially with a pandemic, right, that was a lot of stress on the health care workers because people had to change everything, the way how they saw the patient care, and I think that yes, that was a major stressor. And, you know, people’s jobs were impacted. I remember I was working at a clinic in Toronto, and they actually closed down for a few months. Wow, you Yeah, you know, so we were all worried about what’s going to happen and navigating that whole situation. So yes, the last few years, I feel like the stress has really compounded. But then like I said, you know, being a healthcare worker, you want to help people. And, you know, with so many things going on, a lot of diseases are increasing, like the statistics for Pretty much, yeah, a lot of diseases keep on going up. And, you know, you want to do your best, and then also our health care system. You know, it’s great that it’s universal, but that also has, you know, some drawbacks to it, too. You know, we see a lot of patients, there’s weightless, all of that. So all of those demands do add up, and it is very stressful. One of my clients, he’s an emerge doctor, you know, if he wants to eat healthy, like, he’s just like, when I’m on like, I’m back to back to back. So finding that time to even have a lunch or to, you know, take care of yourself in those small pockets of time. Challenging. So,
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 5:58
that’s how I feel like, I don’t get time in the day to eat. And even if I schedule that lunch, it’s like, I’m always backed up, or there’s always some new problem that happens, and we can’t predict it. So it’s like, you know, grabbing go fast, and like binge eating, or like, just like that bag of chips, whatever is easy, like, sometimes I’ll go to the back and just eat gum, you know, like, because I need something in my mouth. So, you know, I agree with that. Does it have to do like, does this all this, this, you know, maybe not even eating sometimes till four o’clock? Or just having a cup of coffee? Like, do these things affect our sugars at all?
Anar Allidina 6:36
Absolutely, it does. So stress is one of obviously diet is a big component. Right sugar, but so is stress. Because when we are stressed, our cortisol levels are impacted, and cortisol is a stress hormone. And it impacts our insulin, which is another hormone, so they rise together. So you know, our body’s not doing a great job of being able to utilize that blood sugar properly, because our insulin levels are high, and then our blood sugar levels are elevated. So that can definitely have a role. So when you are stressed, you know, you really do want to pay attention to everything else, because it does connect, it’s like a domino effect. So when you know, on hormone is elevated, they all kind of work in a symphony. That’s how you want your hormones and you know, insulin or sorry, cortisol is, you know, our biggest stress hormone and that impacts, right has a direct impact on her insulin levels.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 7:30
So like, you know, people, individuals who are healthy, you know, no family history of diabetes, or you know, they don’t feel like they could have diabetes, or high sugars. So these health care providers could even have high sugars just because of their stress.
Anar Allidina 7:46
Absolutely. Because remember, right? Okay, yes. And think about a time when you’ve been under a lot of stress. Yeah, we tend not to make the best healthy choices, right? So when we’re stressed, we may not be eating better, or eating properly, for that matter, we may be skipping meals. And like you mentioned, yeah, when you do have that minute or five minutes to eat, you’re grabbing some energy, right, you’re not taking that time to be mindful. And, you know, think about what you need, the nutrients that you need. So you’re not making the best food choices, you may not have the time to exercise when you’re really stressed. Because you’re just constantly you know, you know, putting out fires, maybe your sleep can also be heavily impacted with stress as well. So all of these things impact our insulin and our blood sugar levels. So if you’re living like this, you know, continually for you know, a few months even that can really play a tool in your health, for sure.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 8:39
Wow. Okay. So tell me, like should people you know, in mid age range, you know, 30 to 50 be checking their sugar, it’s like, I mean, I would assume like maybe if I had it in my genetics or maybe if I was like, not a healthy eater, okay, or I was severely overweight, like, I would check my triggers, of course, but should the average person including healthcare professionals, be checking their shoulders, so And how often sorry, I should say if you if you recommend, okay, so, if you
Anar Allidina 9:13
do not have a health or family health history, okay. And you are relatively healthy, like you mentioned, like healthy weight, I would definitely, definitely, definitely always get annual bloodwork done to give us okay, of when you are at because that is going to tell us a lot more so then you can have you know, and a lot of people don’t go for a physical or an annual physical right. So that is super important for everyone, and that you can see you know what your agency is which is a very robust measure of your blood sugar’s and looks you know, it’s not just a one day measurement is three months. So the a one C hemoglobin a one C looks at the amount of sugar that stuck around your red blood cell, and your red blood cell lives for about 120 days, like three months, approximately. So that is a very good indicator of where your blood sugar levels are at. So if you are, and in Canada, pre diabetes is from 6% to 6.4%, Above 6.5 is considered type two. But we also have a higher risk range, which, unfortunately, you know, I guess doctors don’t do a great job of telling their patients that so what if you’re in the range of 5.5 to 5.9? That’s considered pre diabetes. And if you are in that range, and sometimes you might be at a 5.5 5.6, and your doctor may not say anything, because it’s still considered? Yes, yes, yes, I
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 10:41
agree. And,
Anar Allidina 10:43
you know, this is so unfortunate, because I work with so many of my clients who are in the prediabetes and they’re like, I wish my doctor had told me something sooner.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 10:50
So, because they are told everything’s good, right,
Anar Allidina 10:53
it’s on the high end of normal. So when you’re in that range between 5.5% to like, 5.9, that is like, your, you have control of what’s going to happen. So, you know, it’s so important that you get your annual blood tests done to see where your metabolic markers are at. And it’s, you know, sometimes you can, you know, depending on your physician, you can ask like, what what is trending, you know, you can see from past years, but even if, you know, your doctor doesn’t do that, you now I guess, with our health care, it’s great because you can log in, and you can get copies of your bloodwork. So you can do Yeah, too, and see from like previous years, how things are trending. And if things aren’t going upwards, then you definitely want to keep an eye on that and make some changes. You know, anyone is at risk for diabetes, type two diabetes after the age of 4045. And then there’s some ethnic groups that are just predisposed to having developing Type Two Diabetes, like being South Asian, Asian, Hispanic era backgrounds being African-American, or you know, so all of those, there are certain ethnic groups that are just at a higher, higher risk. So if you fall in that category, you definitely want to be careful. Yeah.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 12:07
Just to share with our listeners, like I’m a I’m a health care provider. And I was also told that my sugars were normal, and I sold those. Okay, right. I didn’t really care to look at the number, nor look at the range of pre or borderline, you know, sugars. And so, yeah, things just kept getting worse. And that’s when I met you and are but like, you know, it’s so important that we actually start logging on to the Life Labs, portals or your lab portals and checking those sugars and seeing what the normal ranges because when you get that phone call from your family doctor who just says everything’s good, and you just believe it, then you’re like, oh, okay, I could have had more control sooner.
Anar Allidina 12:46
Right? So that’s just kind of, I don’t say regret. But you know, when people Yeah, like, I had no idea. I wish I had known this, I’ve been going to my doctor forever. And yeah, hadn’t mentioned anything. And it’s just unfortunate. And this comes back to kind of like, our health care system, right? You know, the doctors don’t have that much time with their patients, you know. So it’s tricky. It’s definitely you, everyone needs to be their own advocate, when it comes to their health, you need to ask the questions, you need to keep logs of whatever you’re doing. And keep an eye on that, for sure. Absolutely.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 13:18
I agree. Because I’ve experienced it firsthand. And I think as healthcare providers, we’re like, our worst doctors, I guess is the word are like, you know, we don’t take care of ourselves as much as we take care of our patients, right. So we should be, you know, more in tune with our stress levels, our eating habits. So tell me like, in a day, it’s very stressful, right to go to work and have, you know, eat quickly, and maybe not even eat the right things, right. So for me, I would go to work and I need an apple like as a snack. And I thought that was great, right? But my sugars were going up and I was like, what’s going on? Like I’m eating healthy, or I’d have that solid and my sugars were going up. So tell me like, what, what are things? I know, it’s a very broad question, but tell me maybe in small bits, like what are your suggestions like in terms of like, do I just cut down on my carbs, like, you know, and have that solid? And you know, my sugar should get better? Like, what are your suggestions for eating throughout the day when we’re stressed and we have no time? So
Anar Allidina 14:17
definitely, that’s a really good question. And the first thing that I want you to think about is what you can add to your diet instead of taking things away. So you know, if you are concerned with your blood sugar, so you want to add so you want to add protein, this is the biggest, the most important macronutrient and protein helps stabilizes our blood sugar. So when we’re having carbohydrate, that protein kind of works with our carbs. So it’s slowly digested, it slows down the digestion. So protein takes what are the macronutrients that takes longest to digest, so that means we’re full for longer. So especially if you are really busy, really focusing on protein is going to be your biggest, you know, takeaway. So protein, especially your first meal of the day, you want to really make sure that you are getting enough protein, typically, you want to aim for at least 20 grams of protein. So that is maybe you have two eggs and a slice of whole grain bread, that would be very close to 20 grams, you know, you can do anything that comes from an animal is going to be a great source of protein. But we also have plant based protein as well. And yeah, so just making sure you are getting, or you know, where the protein is coming from in your diet, and you want to start your day with protein. So it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to cut out your carbohydrates, you just want to make sure you’re having protein with your carbs. So that example that you gave with the apple, yeah, the apples are great, they’re healthy, there are a lot of nutrients. But there’s no protein in that. So if you are having an apple to kind of help sustain you, it’s not going to, it’s not going to last you for very long. But if you add a piece of cheese to it, or some nuts, that’s going to keep the fullness factor much higher than just having an apple on its own. So you want to see what you can add to kind of combine that fruit or that carb to make it last, you know, for a while until your next meal. Yeah,
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 16:15
and I think that what you said earlier was key like, I think me being vegetarian, right. So a lot of plant based diets, like I always was like, Well, I don’t like eggs. So it was very hard for me in the mornings to stay full. And one of the suggestions I think you gave me was so great. It was, you know, something as simple as just, you know, a piece of bread with avocado and cottage cheese, right? You get that protein from the cottage cheese, and it was like, oh, you know, but also learning to flavor things properly such that you’ll eat it right? I would never eat cottage cheese unless I now you know, I’ve learned how to sprinkle it with some, you know, some flavor so that it tastes better. Right? I think it’s taking that time to figure out what what will be good for our palate, and what will actually be sustainable, I guess as well. Right things we will continue eating? Yes.
Anar Allidina 17:03
So yeah, there is an element of trying to figure out what works, what you like, because you definitely want to enjoy where you’re eating as well. And that’s going to keep you full and sustain you. That’s, you know, obviously key. And there are so many different, different ways. And this is why working with a dietitian can be so helpful because you can personalize the recommendations and, you know, come up with ideas on recipes are ingredients that you can add to make it suit your taste buds for sure. Right.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 17:30
So eating breakfast is important. Correct. Okay, especially
Anar Allidina 17:35
if you are, you know, a very busy person, because sometimes like you said, I know, you don’t take lunch, really because you’re you know, seeing your patients and meetings and things just come up like you said, so if you know that that’s the case for you that your day is unpredictable, then 100%, you want to start your day with having a good breakfast, the one thing that everyone should be doing is making sure that they have a solid breakfast, that is with enough protein, because this is going to help regulate your hunger, it’s going to help stabilize your blood sugar, it’s going to be more leveled. And, you know, remember our blood sugars are a reflection of how we feel. So when our blood sugar is high, we might not feel the best, we might feel a bit jittery, can’t focus so much, especially if it’s low to when you have a low blood sugar, you may be more irritable, just things may just stress you out a little bit more. So you know, if you are in a stressful work environment, or you know you have a lot going on, you want your mood to be stable so you can kind of handle what’s coming at you. So making sure your blood sugars are stable is going to be your biggest you know, biggest key to kind of keep with you. So stable blood sugars is important. So that’s why having breakfast is I would say definitely important, you know and coffee doesn’t count. coffees. Yeah, I
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 18:54
was just gonna say that. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So coffee is good, though,
Anar Allidina 18:58
is great, but have it with your meal. Okay, there’s other options, you know, for quick breakfast ideas, like we’ve discussed, like certain bars you can carry with you. You know, even a protein powder adding that to your drinks is also well, so there are things that can work and you just have to kind of get creative and you know, talk to someone about it to help kind of see how you can work for you. But yeah, breakfast
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 19:23
I love how you said I love how you talked about the blood sugar. And you mentioned the jittery because that was a big part of my life. I would come home every day and even drive sometimes I’m like but I ate the apple and you know ate that but I would be jittery and I didn’t like I just thought that was normal. I had to get home and I had to eat or maybe I was nervous like but sometimes I would feel that jitteriness and that’s completely gone since I’ve learned how to how to balance that blood sugar. So that’s huge. So, you know to our listeners and viewers like if you are feeling that that could be indicative of your blood sugar’s being off and you have no idea right? aid. Yeah,
Anar Allidina 20:00
exactly idea. Because sometimes these symptoms are so subtle that you may just play it off as like, you know, it’s not a big deal. But yeah, if you’re, if you’re feeling like that at certain times of the day, you know, then you definitely want to take a look to see, Okay, where is that coming from? Did I eat enough? Did I get enough protein, you know, to help sustain me. So that’s really important. Definitely, the number one thing is, you know, have breakfast, make sure it’s protein rich. The other thing I would say is to have regular meals. So, okay, meal timings is really important. And once you start adding in more protein, you shouldn’t really feel the need to snack so much, because that’s going to sustain you. So a good meal should give you at least four hours of lasting power. So you know, okay, you have breakfast at eight, then have lunch at noon. That’s a fair time. And then, you know, between lunch and dinner, it’s a longer structure time. So that’s when having a snack, again, with protein and carbohydrates, like the fruit in that example, will be perfect. Until you have dinner again.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 21:08
So you know, I’ve always heard that having less food, but more often throughout the day is better for you. Tell me a little bit about that. Like, is that true? Or is it true for some people? Like I don’t know.
Anar Allidina 21:20
So when it comes to blood sugar regulation and insulin levels, I would say no, you know, do you have a history, or you may suspect you know, your blood sugars are off, then you definitely don’t want to be eating every few hours. Because every single time we eat, our insulin levels go up. And insulin is a fat storing hormone. So when we have too much insulin in our body, our body just stores fat, it’s in a fat storing mode. So we want those insulin levels to come down. Okay? So that’s why when we have certain meal times, you know, like giving yourself four hours that allows your body to reduce its insulin level. So then you eat again, and then it goes up like it should and then it comes down. So for snacking all the time, or insulin levels are always high, they’re never going down again. So yes, and so when you have blood sugar imbalances, that could really, you could be on a high blood sugar and your blood sugar could just be going up and crashing throughout the day. So help stabilize your blood sugar levels. Again, to keep that even steady level, I would definitely suggest having proper mealtimes you know, at least for part and not to be snacking.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 22:35
Okay. Not to be stuck. Okay. So, you know, the other sort of thing is, I mean, a lot of us will get up in the morning right away. And the first thing because we’re, you know, we’re on the go. So we’ll have our coffee, and sometimes we’ll have our breakfast in the car like or whatnot. Right? So is it wrong? Like when is the best time to drink coffee? I know you said with meal. But is it wrong to have your coffee as your first thing in the morning? And then half an hour later when you’re out the door having your breakfast? Or like, is there a right time to have coffee? I don’t know. Yeah, no,
Anar Allidina 23:04
that’s a really good question. So yeah, so for people who have, you know, polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, or insulin resistance, it is advised to have coffee after you eat because coffee is a stimulant. And it could, it could kind of give us a surge in our cortisol. Right? So with our insulin, so, yes, so in a perfect world, it would be great to eat first and then have your coffee. And but again, remember, everyone is a bit different. So maybe you have coffee, and you feel fine. And it’s you know, you could you could check your own blood sugars to see if everything’s okay. Some people do see a spike, some people don’t. So that’s very variable. But in, but to be safe, it’s best to eat first and then have your coffee. Yeah,
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 23:52
no, but I mean, if that’s best for everyone, in general, rather than having your coffee on an empty stomach, then that’s good to know. Because I think most of us think like, oh, we’ll just have our coffee because we’ll be awake and then maybe we’ll even skip breakfast. Because now we feel you know, we’re alert. And consider that kind of intermittent fasting or whatnot. Right? Which is a whole nother. Okay, so ideas for just getting through my day sometimes. So like, sometimes I don’t have time to eat lunch or I just or I have time to eat lunch, but I need to squeeze in a snack somewhere. So I know you mentioned bars, like are we talking granola bars, protein bars? And like what are other ideas that we could just kind of quickly you know, I want to say go to the back Eat quickly and then come back out and be you know, helping our patients like what’s what are quick ways to do that? quick meals I should say or snacks. Yeah,
Anar Allidina 24:43
yeah, for sure. So again, just thinking protein. So you know protein and fiber, so having nuts on hand. They’re portable. So you know, you can always keep a stash of almonds or mix nuts with you or in your purse so you have something with you to go To help sustain you bars, so yes, so granola bars don’t really make that cut. As much as I thought, you’d want to try to get one with a bar that has at least eight grams of protein. Okay, so,
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 25:14
so eight grams of protein is key, or more
Anar Allidina 25:17
or more. I mean, sometimes it might be tough, but yeah, I would say around, you know, eight grams would be good. So our x bars are great. They’re have 12 grams of protein, and five grams of fiber. So those are, you know, really simple ingredients. So you can, again, they’re portable, you can keep them in your purse or at work. And it’s just something to have when you’re in a pinch. Something else that may require a little bit more thought would be, you know, having hard boiled eggs. So making a batch on a Sunday, keeping them in the fridge, because they last for the full week, and kind of grabbing them to add with your salad. So yes, having a salad is great, but you want to make sure you have that protein in there. And, you know, taking advantage of like canned beans, canned tuna, hard boiled eggs, or great or even adding nuts in there. Hemp seeds, these are just things that you can just add to help give you that protein as well. So that’s really important. Even just getting small yogurt cups or cottage cheese cups and keeping them at work in the fridge. Those are amazing. There’s not that you don’t have to prepare anything. So that’s always a good one as well. Yeah, even having like hummus in the fridge just as a spread or as a dip with vegetables. That could be another quick and easy kind of snack to have on hand as well. So those are just some ideas.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 26:34
Quick, yeah. So tell like when we look at granola bars back to granola bars, because that’s my favorite. Like, what are we looking at not only with granola bars, but other snacks too, and maybe for our families and our kids as well, like? So you know, when something says this packet has, you know, I don’t know, 15 grams of carbs, and it has five grams of protein. To me that’s like, Okay, let’s get it right. Like I don’t know. So am I looking for like a key comparison between those numbers where my protein should be higher, the same lower? Like, what are we looking for? That we know it’s a good protein snack.
Anar Allidina 27:09
Okay, so yeah, so when you’re looking or reading a nutrition label is so important. So what you want to really pay attention to is the fiber, you want to pay, okay, low carb, and you want to pay attention to the protein. So whenever the protein is higher, or similar to the carb content, so let’s say let’s take the RXBAR, for example. I think the I think the carbs are 14, it could be on the flavor, but the protein is 12. And the fiber is 5. So there’s almost a 1:1 ratio of the protein and carb. So that definitely is a
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 27:48
good, okay, so 1:1 is a good indicator.
Anar Allidina 27:50
As close to one to one as possible. So with that example, that you said, you know, with a bar being 15 grams of carbs, which tends to be a typical bar is around 15 grams around that, you want to make sure, yes, you’re looking at that protein, which is five grams, which is not bad, you also want to look at that fiber. So if that fiber is also five or four, then that could work as well. Because remember the fiber, so we know protein keeps us full for longer. But another nutrient is also fiber that also keeps you full for longer. Okay. And fiber is pretty much it’s actually only found in plant foods. So I’m talking about, you know, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, and lentils and whole grains. So if that bar had like oats in it, if it had some nuts in it, you would see that fiber gram being higher. Okay, no, but a lot of these foods that are you know, that are marketed towards kids. Like the Quaker bars,
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 28:47
they really, yes, that’s what we’re sometimes giving them. Yeah,
Anar Allidina 28:51
we don’t really have that much fiber in there. Okay.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 28:54
I’m assuming the carb to protein ratio, which I’ve never looked at is probably extremely high. It’s
Anar Allidina 28:59
higher, for sure. Yeah. So it’s like a treat than an actual healthy snack. Go gently, right. So yeah, so you just want to be mindful of that. So you want to make sure you’re looking at fiber, you want to make sure you’re looking at the carbs and you’re looking at the, at the protein.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 29:14
So when we like what do you feel are the changes that people can notice immediately, kind of, you know, when we start adjusting our sugar levels, or being more conscious of these things, maybe even a little bit? What are changes that you feel we can notice within a few weeks or a month? Like I mean, obviously, you know, some people will have weight loss, and that’s the added benefit, but what are like some of the feelings and things that can help them?
Anar Allidina 29:41
Yes, that’s a really great question. So definitely, within the first week, if you adjust how you’re eating, if you are adding more protein, you’ll be more mindful of your carbohydrates, you know, you’ll definitely notice that you have more energy. Okay, right. That’s what we all want. So energy increased energy is one of the first things People will notice with their, with their health and how they feel. You’ll also notice another thing that people will notice is that they don’t have that many cravings or their cravings are not as intense. And again, this is the, this is the protein component, because we are eating more protein, you know, we’re full for longer, and our cravings won’t be as intense. Right now, if you’re not really noticing, or if you have a low protein diet, or you have a high carb diet, you know, you’re constantly craving more carbs and sugar. So to kind of cut that cycle is to make sure you’re adding in protein to that.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 30:37
So like energy will be better. We might notice like decreasing cravings, so the snacking like at nighttime or whatever. Sleep will be
Anar Allidina 30:48
better. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, we noticed an improvement in your sleep. Because now you know, because your cravings are not there. Or you’re just more mindful of like, you know how you’re feeling? Definitely your sleep can improve as well.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 31:02
A big thing for me was mood as well, right? Like, I don’t know, I’m a nicer person than when my sugars are more. What makes
Anar Allidina 31:09
sense, right? Because our blood sugar is a reflection of energy. So if we are crabby or irritable and annoyed, it could be that our blood sugar is low. And a lot of people don’t realize that, that when we have a low blood sugar, it’s the same symptoms of anxiety. So it’s hard to tell the difference, right? That’s
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 31:29
key. That’s key. That was key for me. So yeah, so that is
Anar Allidina 31:32
definitely seeing an improvement in your mood, just feeling more in control is definitely a big one. For sure.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 31:40
And for women also their cycles, right? Like there’s that regulation of cycles, I guess, is related a little bit to the insulin, the blood sugar and all of that.
Anar Allidina 31:48
So different phases of the cycle, you know, you we tend to be more insulin resistant, right before our cycle starts. And so we may have more cravings and stuff like that. And that’s okay, you can honor that. But as you are more aware of your feeling and your body awareness, you’ll know. Okay, this is probably I’m feeling like this, because my cycle is about to start. And that’s why it’s so important to track your cycle as well. Because it’s just giving you information on your body. And that way, the more you know, the better choices you can make. For sure, right, yeah.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 32:19
So you know, kind of like to sum it up. So like food pairing is important, right. And then being more conscious and not snacking as much but being fuller at your meals and being more conscious of what you’re eating, I guess.
Anar Allidina 32:33
Absolutely. So if you find, you know, you’re really hungry in the afternoon. And the thing is, with our circadian rhythm, we naturally have a dip in our energy levels around three o’clock like that afternoon, okay, naturally, we have that. But if you feel like it’s, you know, really intense to your cravings in the afternoon, you really want to look at your lunch to see how you can make that more satisfying how you can make that more robust, and you may need to add more food, you may need to eat more, you may want to add more protein to that to help satiate you, so it’ll carry you through in the afternoon. So, try that. Try that for a few days and see how you feel it can make a huge difference.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 33:11
Yeah, cuz I know like when I would come home from work, like by four or five, whatever it is, like I would binge eat, right? I don’t know, I think everyone does. I mean, you have those chips at home and you just binge eat because you come home, you’re trying to make dinner, but you’re hungry and you’re crabby. And so you just take the chips, right? And you keep going right? So I think yes, what exactly what you said what has helped is eating better at lunch and being more conscious of your of your meals before three or four o’clock? Yes,
Anar Allidina 33:36
exactly. And that No, right. And then once you are more aware of your meals, that’s why I am a huge proponent of having you know, balanced regular meals, you’ll see how you’re feeling and you can, it’ll be so much easier to to be like, Oh, I didn’t eat enough or it was a busy day. And then you can kind of be like, Okay, that’s why I feel like this just helps you dance better. Right when things right, predictable and on schedule. And another thing that we haven’t touched on is also hydration.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 34:05
Oh, yes, sorry. That’s the thing I’m weakest on. So that’s important, right? Yes.
Anar Allidina 34:09
So high. Okay. Again, super important to help with blood sugar. It also again, helps with staying full, and for concentration and being alert. And I know with a lot of health care workers, sometimes you’re always with, you know, your patients. So it’s hard to drink water, right? Especially if you’re wearing a mask as well. So that’s something that you really want to pay attention to. So starting your day, so always I always tell everyone like at your bedside table, keep a bottle of water or a glass of water and try to drink that first thing right when you wake up. You know, because when we sleep or in a state of dehydration, so we need to hydrate upon waking up. So really do that first. You know, then you can go on with your day, you know, have your breakfast, never coffee, and then you’ll be good.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 34:55
Yeah, like two things. I think that that was huge because when I would get up in the Morning like a lot like many of us, we have coffee, but you know, I guess I’d never realized I’m already dehydrated. And then I’m having coffee, which is probably further dehydrating me. And then I’m having the water right. So no wonder I’m not as like happy mornings or I’m like crab beer and I’m like, But switching that up to the water first and then the coffee after or with your meal was huge for us. The other the other tip, I remember you and I had talked a while ago, was, I don’t know it worked for me was I don’t like water. Right? Like just water is not my thing. But having something as simple as this was having water like a water bottle with a straw. Yeah. Yeah, that like changed my life. You know, I always assumed that straws were for kids. Like I’m not gonna have a water bottle with a straw. But that was really helpful because I don’t remember the the philosophy around it. But I think you said it was just easier to sit or something, right?
Anar Allidina 35:51
It’s just having a straw tarp if you’re someone who forgets to drink water, because, you know, if you have a tarp on they have to unscrew and then it just takes so long, right? So if you have a water bottle with a straw when you’re driving when you’re on the computer, it’s so easy to sip. And if your home was getting in your water intake, try switching your water bottle so it’s a straw top and I promise you it will make a difference.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 36:16
Yeah, it did. No, you’re right. No, we are honestly thank you these were this was like amazing, such helpful tips to our listeners and viewers. But you have to tell us where can our listeners viewers find you like there are people who I’m sure are struggling with blood sugar balance eating healthy, you know, again, weight loss, mood, stress levels, where can they find you, you know, for advice, seeking help booking sessions with you? How can they reach you? Absolutely.
Anar Allidina 36:47
So they can reach me on my website. It’s www.AnarAllidina.com just my first and last name. I’m also active on Instagram when I post a lot of tips and recipes. So it’s @Anar_Dietitian. That’s my handle. So you can definitely ask me questions, you know, reach out to me there and I’ll be more than happy to connect.
Dr. Meenal Agarwal 37:10
Yeah, and that’s actually where I saw some of your videos and tips that kind of helped me and even just like your your shopping tips, right? Those are huge, like, okay, you know, a lot of us go to Walmart or Costco and when you go there and show us, oh, you can find this. That’s, you know, great. That’s super helpful. So thank you, Chris. Yes, I hope you everyone has a great day. Thank you listeners and viewers for tuning in. If you want to catch more episodes of uncover your eyes, make sure to follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube. To learn more about me, follow me on Instagram @Dr.MeenalAgarwal. Until next time, keep those eyes uncovered!