May 20, 2025 • 28 mins
Root Causes: Sugar, Insulin & the Real Reason You’re Crashing (and Storing Fat)
Feel like you're crashing mid-morning (and again by 2pm)? Living on caffeine and leftover snacks? Struggling to lose weight or keep your cool—but can’t imagine surviving motherhood without sugar?
Mama, this episode is for you.
In this heart-to-heart Root Causes episode, we’re unpacking how your everyday sugar habits may be linked to deeper issues like insulin resistance, and how that’s impacting your energy, sleep, mood, hormones, cravings, gut, liver health, and weight.
No guilt. No overwhelm. Just real talk about what’s going on inside your body—and how you can start healing it with small, grace-filled steps.
Plus, we’ll talk about:
-
Why sugar feels like relief (but often makes things worse).
-
The emotional & spiritual roots behind your cravings.
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Why fasting might feel impossible—and how to make it work for your body.
-
Simple daily shifts to stabilize blood sugar and stop the crash cycle.
You’re not broken. You’re just stuck in a cycle. Let’s get you out of it—together.
Send me a comment or a question here!
SHOW SOME LOVE: If this episode encouraged you, I’d love for you to leave a quick rating and review here. Your words brighten my day and also help more mamas discover the hope, healing, and joy they deserve.
WORK WITH ME TO RESTORE YOUR ENERGY + DISCOVER YOUR DESIGN FOR HEALTH AS A BUSY MAMA: Option 1) Join the Live Healthy, Mama coaching program today! Find all the details here.
Option 2) Work 1:1 with me to reach your wellness goals - without the overwhelm -and get total clarity on living the healthy and energetic life you were created for. Get the details here.
- Want to make sure coaching is right for you? Book a FREE Discovery Call here!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jerusha Jantz, Holistic Wellness Coach for Christian Moms:
Welcome to Tired Mommy Revival. (00:01):
undefined
Hey mama.
Are you running on coffee fumes,feeling like brain fog, fatigue
and anxiety, or running the show?
Do you wake up dreading the dayahead already overwhelmed by the
endless to-do list, and unsurehow you'll make it through.
Do you long for the energyto enjoy motherhood?
(00:23):
And care for yourself, but feelstuck and unsure where to start.
Let me remind you ofsomething life changing.
You were created for more, moreenergy, more clarity, more joy.
Hi, I'm Jerusha, certifiedHolistic Wellness Coach.
Wife and mom to two wild boysand one baby girl in heaven.
(00:46):
I know the exhaustion you'refeeling because I've been there
barely making it through the day.
Relying on coffee and chocolate tosurvive and wondering why nothing
I tried ever made me feel better.
Then God stepped in andrevealed a powerful truth.
A woman's body is beautifullyand uniquely designed to thrive.
(01:07):
When we align with how God createdus, we can boost our energy bust
through fatigue and step into thevibrant, joy filled life he has for us.
Mama.
I'm living proof thatit's possible these days.
I wake up, refreshed, nourished my bodywith intention and navigate the chaos
of motherhood with patience and peace.
(01:28):
Most days, and I wannahelp you do the same.
If you're ready to swap exhaustion forenergy, brain fog for clarity and guilt
for grace, you are in the right place.
Each week we'll dive into practicalstrategies, faith-filled truths,
and empowering tools to renew yourhealth, body, soul, and spirit.
(01:48):
Are you ready for this?
Let's do it, mama.
If you've ever found yourself hiding inthe pantry with a chocolate bar or a pint
of ice cream, sneaking a few bites beforeyour kids come and discover you, just
trying to get through the chaos of a day.
I see you.
(02:08):
I've been there.
And while that sugary snack might feellike a lifeline in the moment, today we're
gonna talk about what it's actually doinginside your body and why it might be the
hidden culprit behind your exhaustion,stubborn weight, and your mood swings.
Now, this isn't about guilt,it's about understanding.
(02:31):
Because when you finally see theconnection between your everyday
symptoms and what's going on underneaththe surface, everything changes.
I.
If you listen to my last episode, youknow that I actually had an episode
for sugar and insulin recorded.
Not just written out,but actually recorded.
(02:53):
I was editing it.
I was ready to publish it.
Then I threw it in the trash.
That's because as I was going through,I kept adding to the outline and my
notes of things to talk about, andI was just like, "oh, there's this
connection, and there's this connection,and remember what it does over here,
(03:13):
and remember how it acts over here andoh, remember how it causes this thing?"
And I just kept adding and adding andI was like, "Ooh, this is so good".
But then as I was listeningback to it, getting ready to
publish it, I was like, "whoa".
If this is the first time that you'remaking all these connections with
(03:34):
sugar and insulin and its effects onthe body, that's a lot to take in.
And something was just not sittingright in my spirit, and ultimately
I decided this is too much, andthis is really not serving my
friends and fellow tired mamas well.
Because all this informationreally doesn't do anything for us.
(03:57):
Yes, it helps us make the connections, andI want to do that with you today because
I think making the connections betweenwhat's going on and the root causes,
which is why we're doing the series, isimportant because it helps us actually
say, " yes, I understand that connection,and now I have a course of action.
Now I have something tangible thatI can focus on and use to heal my
(04:19):
body because now I understand thisroot cause, this thing that's really
controlling my issues from the background.
Things that I didn't even recognize."And so that's why I'm passionate about
doing this with you and doing this series.
And I would love to know if youguys are enjoying the series.
Is it too much information?
Is it like, "wow, so many facts! I reallydon't care. Just tell me what to do".
(04:43):
Or are you like, "oh my gosh, this hasopened my eyes to some underlying things
that I've even maybe noticed about myselfor maybe somebody around me. And I think
that this is really encouraging and Idon't have all the answers, and maybe I
don't have the full picture of what I needto do, but I am starting to understand
my body more through this series".
(05:05):
So I would love to hear your feedback.
Let me know what are you thinkingabout this because ultimately,
I want to serve you guys.
I want to show up and have conversationsthat are helpful and productive, and that
serve you and where you're at right now.
You can send me an email.
My information is in the podcast details.
Or you can find me on social media,on Facebook under Chavah Wellness.
(05:29):
Or you can also go to my website,chava wellness.com, and there
is a link for the podcast.
You can contact me and leaveme a message about the podcast.
You can either submit a written comment,or a question if there's something that
you want me to talk about in the future,or you can leave me a voice message too,
(05:51):
whether it's a question or a comment.
So whatever method is easiest for youto reach out to me, I would love to hear
from you and make sure that I'm providingcontent that's valuable and helpful
for you in your real life, mom life.
So today, besides making these connectionswith what's going on in your body and
(06:12):
obviously identifying the root cause ofsome of your symptoms, I also want to
talk about the real life, what's going on?
Sugar has physicalimplications to our health.
It does steal our energy, and ultimatelyit'll make weight loss absolutely
impossible if you're dealing withany level of insulin resistance.
(06:33):
But also, the really big thing isthat as moms, we use sugar as an
emotional coping tool, and there'snothing to be ashamed about that.
We first need to recognize that, hey, um,being a mom is awesome and it's hard too.
You wake up already tired.
(06:53):
Coffee is your lifeline.
You're rushing through the morning,grabbing something sweet with your
caffeine, just to kickstart yourday, and a few hours later, you're
starving, irritable, maybe shaky andreaching for another quick fix, whether
that's the caffeine or the sugar.
You make it through the day oncaffeine, snacks, and survival,
(07:18):
and then the evening hits.
The kids are finally in bed.
You are wiped, but you reward yourselfwith a little treat, maybe a bowl of
ice cream or a few leftover cookies,and you tell yourself, "I deserve
this. Oh, after the day that I havehad, I have earned this treat".
(07:40):
Here's what was true for me for years.
I was eating sugar first thing in themorning in my coffee and finishing
my day with sugar at night, as wellas whatever sugar found its way
into my diet throughout the day.
And honestly, I didn'tthink I had a sugar problem.
I wasn't binging.
I was just trying to cope.
(08:01):
And honestly, I was looking forlittle moments of joy and a boost
of energy throughout my day.
But I had no idea how much those habitswere sabotaging my energy, my sleep,
my focus, my weight and really my mood.
It wasn't until I started changingthose small things, gently and slowly,
(08:21):
that I realized just how much insulinresistance had been playing a role
and how awful I felt every single day.
If you had asked me if Ihad insulin resistance, I
would've said definitely not.
That wasn't a thing that was inthe least concerning to me or
that I was concerned that I had.
(08:42):
I would also tell you that I've been tothe doctor and I was tested for diabetes
because it runs in my family and mytests always came back perfectly fine.
So insulin resistance wasn't somethingthat I ever even suspected, in the
least, about my health, and it definitelywasn't something that I was trying
to focus on, other than maybe cuttingout sugar so I could lose weight.
(09:07):
But when I got really serious aboutmy health, really serious, because
I was really desperate, I decided,I had read some material that talked
about the effect and importanceof addressing insulin resistance
when you're trying to lose weight.
And I thought, "Whatever.
Sure.
(09:27):
I'll try it.
I'll throw it in there, see whathappens, what could it hurt?
Hopefully it'll help me lose weight".
And the results were so profound.
Once I realized how good I couldfeel, I started to realize that
insulin resistance had actually been abackground issue for me for a long time.
(09:50):
And of course, if you've heard metalk about the wellness scale, I was
experiencing some level of insulinresistance, but I was not sick
enough to test positive on a test.
So essentially what the doctorswere saying were, " nothing's
wrong with you, so go home andwait till you feel bad enough.
When you are sick enough, come back,and then you can test positive for
(10:13):
diabetes , and then we can help you".
And ultimately, when I took my healthinto my own hands, I realized, oh
dang, I was experiencing insulinresistance and I had no idea.
Most people think that insulinresistance has nothing to do with
their underlying health struggles.
Hello (10:32):
me.
However, funnily enough, there are alot of people who swear by something
that you may have seen on social mediacalled their "pink drink", that helps
them feel light, energetic, and amazing.
Now, I've never tried the Plexusbrand pink drink, but one day
(10:52):
I got really curious about whypeople were raving about it.
Honestly, I just thought it was anelectrolyte and you know that I'm a huge
fan of electrolytes and I think they makea really big difference in our health.
So I thought that that's just what itwas, but I went to go check it out, and it
turns out it's not an electrolyte at all.
The main ingredient is designed tohelp you manage insulin resistance.
(11:16):
Hello!
No wonder ladies feel great on this drink.
Now, I'm all for products if they makethings enjoyable and convenient for you.
However, I never want anyoneto feel like their health is
dependent upon affording a product.
So let's keep going so you canfeel more equipped to steward
(11:36):
your health in every season.
Let's talk about some of the reallife symptoms of insulin resistance.
Even if your labs are normal, yourbody might be screaming for help.
Insulin resistance can show up likemid-morning or mid-afternoon crashes.
Cravings you can't explain.
(11:56):
Trouble losing weight,especially around your belly.
Waking up between two and 4:00 AM.
Feeling exhausted andwired at the same time.
Or needing sugar or carbsto keep functioning.
The thing is, is that it'snot a willpower problem.
It's a blood sugar problem, andonce we support that your body
(12:20):
starts to feel amazing again.
But before we talk about what todo about it, let's talk about the
root reason moms rely on sugar.
Here's something We don't talk aboutenough: sugar is a coping tool.
We turn to it when we're exhausted overstimulated, anxious, or feeling low.
(12:42):
Sugar offers us a quick boost,whether it's energy, comfort, or
that little hit of pleasure wheneverything else feels overwhelming.
But here's the hard truth, mama.
Many of the struggles we're tryingto fix with sugar are actually
being caused or worsened by sugar.
Things like exhaustion, anxiety, orlow mood, brain fog, or poor memory,
(13:09):
and feeling cranky, or just strugglingto be patient with your family.
It's a trap and not because you'redoing something wrong, but because
your body is trying to sootheitself in the only way it knows how.
But if we want to break outof that cycle, we have to do
more than just cut the sugar.
(13:31):
We have to find new sources of support.
There's a physical aspect to it, ofcourse, but there's also emotional and
spiritual support that's needed too.
And that starts with finding littlemoments of calm, little moments with God.
And I know as a mom you might be thinking,"that feels so impossible right now", and
(13:52):
that's okay because here's what I've seen.
When your blood sugar starts to stabilize,you begin to find capacity again.
Maybe you'll have more energy toget up early and read your Bible.
Maybe you'll feel more patient with yourkids, or maybe even enough to go for
a short walk or do a gentle workout.
(14:15):
When you get there, thosethings, they help curb cravings
emotionally and physically.
Healing isn't about restriction.
It's about giving your body and soul whatthey've truly been asking for all along.
So let's start with some everydayhabits that keep you stuck.
First of all, starting the day withsugar, like cereal or those leftover
(14:41):
desserts that were sitting on thetable, pumpkin pie, ice cream, cookies.
Or, if you are not eating breakfast,that's fine, but if you are putting
sugar in your coffee first thing in themorning, if that's the first thing that's
hitting your system, that's a problem.
Also, ending the day with sugar,like having dessert right before bed,
(15:03):
which I was guilty of for many, manyyears, and I can easily get back into
that bad habit if I'm not careful.
Also, eating carbs withoutpairing them with protein or fat.
Snacking all day and skipping real meals.
And using sugar to pushthrough stress or exhaustion.
(15:24):
Mamas, these things are so easy to doas tired, overstimulated, anxious moms
just trying to make it through theday, but none of this makes you bad.
It just makes you human.
But your body was designed forstability, not chaos, and healing
(15:44):
starts when we give it that.
Let's talk a little bit about howthis shows up in your whole body.
When blood, sugar and insulin are outof balance, it's not just about cravings
or weight gain, it affects everything.
Sugar goes through your digestive systemreally fast, and believe it or not, your
(16:07):
liver is one of the huge areas that isactually in charge of processing sugar
and too much sugar equals liver overwhelm.
Over time, this can lead tofatty liver disease, poor
detox, and hormonal imbalances.
In your gut, sugar feeds the badgut bacteria, which sends signals
(16:30):
to your brain asking for more sugar.
This creates a vicious cycleof cravings and poor digestion.
Your sleep is also affected.
A sugary bedtime snack or high cortisolfrom sugar crashes can wake you up in
the middle of the night, usually around2:00 AM, and ultimately prevent your
(16:50):
body from entering a deep healing sleep.
Not only are you gonna miss out ondeep sleep, but you're also going to
be missing out on that deepest level ofhealing that your body does at night.
Your stress is also really affected.
Sugar spikes equals cortisol spikes.
(17:11):
Cortisol is that stress hormone.
So your nervous system betweenthe two gets stuck in a fight or
flight system leaving you wired,but edgy and completely burned out.
Last is your hormones.
Insulin is a hormone and itblocks fat burning hormones like
(17:31):
growth hormone and glycogen.
So when insulin is constantlyhigh, it stores fat and it prevents
your body from burning it, even ifyou're eating well and exercising.
Mamas you cannot lose weight andignore your sugar intake or even your
(17:51):
underlying issue of insulin resistance.
It also interferes with estrogen,making it less effective, and it
slows your thyroid hormone conversionand stresses the adrenal gland.
Ultimately, all of this can lead tosluggish metabolism, mood swings, low
(18:13):
energy, and even PCOS, which is polycysticovarian system, and in a lot of medical
circles, it's actually being referredto as Type three diabetes because of
its strong link to insulin resistance.
So I'm not gonna get into all thenitty gritty details of how those
things work in the body, because that'sjust a little too much right now.
(18:37):
We'll have more conversations aboutthis and get into the details.
If you have a specific question or ifyou're like, "Hey, can you elaborate
on that", please go on my website,chavah wellness.com, and go to the
podcast tab, ask a question and letme know what you're wondering so that
I can address that specific thing.
Let's move on and talk alittle bit about fasting.
(18:59):
So here's the thing, if you've evertried fasting and you felt dizzy, shaky,
nauseous, or completely out of it,there's a reason for that, and often
it's a sign of insulin resistance.
When your cells are resistantto insulin, your body doesn't
access stored energy efficiently.
(19:22):
So when you go too long withoutfood, your system panics.
It can't tap into what it's stored.
But here's the thing youwere created to fast.
In Matthew six, verses 16 to 17, itsays, "when you fast, do not look
somber as the hypocrites do. When youfast put oil on your head and wash
(19:46):
your face." So the important thinghere is that it's saying when you fast.
God had times when he told the Israelitesto fast, and we're gonna talk about
that more in the fasting episode.
But the thing is, is that it doesn'tsay if you fast, it says when you fast.
And fasting is often thought of asa spiritual practice, and it is.
(20:11):
But here's the thing, God's purposes arealways multifaceted and he created the
body to benefit from fasting just likehe created our spirit to benefit from
fasting too, and ultimately it does both.
I know that for years I would go tochurch and they would call for fast
(20:32):
and I wouldn't participate because eventhough I had a desire to spiritually,
I knew that my body could not handlefasting, and it wasn't just about being
hungry and fighting through the hunger.
It was about the fact that I would feel soawful that I wouldn't be able to function.
(20:54):
Like I would have to lay on the couchand be sick, dinner wouldn't get
made, the kids wouldn't be taken careof, literally nothing was going to
happen because I would be so sick.
And I just knew that that wasn't somethingthat I could really put my family through.
And so I just wouldn't fast.
It wasn't until years later that I wouldfigure out that, well, one, I needed
(21:17):
electrolytes, but two insulin resistancewas operating in the background of my
life and preventing me from not onlynot being able to fast and receive the
physical benefits of that, but it keptme from the spiritual benefits too.
And so when I started addressingmy insulin resistance, it actually
(21:39):
made me more capable of fasting.
And the more I was able to fast, thebetter my insulin resistance got too.
The good news is that when you do itthe right way, intermittent fasting
can help restore insulin sensitivity.
It gives your body a break from constantsugar spikes, and it lets your cells start
(22:00):
responding again, and it's so, so healing.
So here's some advice thathelped me to get started.
Number one is don't startor end a fast with sugar.
That means don't eat sugar first thing inthe morning, and don't let it be the the
last thing that you're eating at night.
If you need to eat sugar, girl,there's a time to do it, and
there's a time not to do it, okay?
(22:20):
But keep it away from the firstand the last part of your day.
Because your fasting is whatyou're doing overnight, and that's
a really gentle way to start.
Also, if you're going to extendyour fast beyond just when you're
sleeping, start with somethinggentle, like a 12 to 14 hour fast.
So just for example, if you'restarting with a 12 hour fast, that
(22:42):
would be like 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
So from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM you can eat.
So you're not eating before 9:00 AMand you're not eating after 9:00 PM.
That would be a 12 hour fast, and thatwould be a really gentle way to start.
And then when you're doing thatwell, then start to extend it.
(23:04):
Do 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and thatwould be a 14 hour fast, and start to
slowly increase your time like that.
Not only will it be gentle on your system,but it'll feel doable and you can ease
yourself into the process of fasting.
Okay.
Number three is focuson food quality first.
(23:24):
So instead of thinking, I can't eat sugar,I can't eat sugar, I can't eat sugar,
when you know that you're craving itbecause you're trying to ease your body
into a state of not relying on it as much.
What you need to think of is, okay,first I need to eat some protein, some
healthy fats, and some fiber rich veggies.
Eat a really good quality meal, evenif it's in the middle of the day.
(23:48):
And once you've eaten somethingreally good, your protein, healthy
fats and fiber, those veggies,nutrient dense veggies in your body,
then go ahead and have that treat.
In fact, the middle of the day after agood quality meal is honestly the best
time of day to eat a treat if you're goingto, and that's often what I do as well.
(24:10):
So if you're stuck on, " Icannot give up my ice cream".
Move it from eating it at nightright before bed to eating
it in the middle of the day.
The last is avoid sugary breakfast.
Yes, even sweet coffee creamers count.
Okay?
Do not let the first thing thattouches your tongue be sugar.
(24:33):
You gotta get something goodinto your body, and then if you
need the sugar, then eat it then.
But don't let it be the first thing thatbreaks your fast, because let me tell
you, not only will it set you up forenergy crashes, but it'll set you up for
cravings, and it will put your body intoa system that holds onto your weight and
will absolutely refuse to let go of it.
(24:56):
I want to leave you withthis final encouragement.
Mama, you are not broken and youare not weak because you can't
resist sugar on sheer willpower.
And mama, you're definitely not alone.
You've just been stuck in a cycleyour body doesn't know how to
break yet, but now you have someinsight and that's the first step.
(25:20):
I hope that I gave you just enoughinformation today to empower you to
move forward and not to get stuckin information overwhelm, but to
know, "hey, if I can start to managemy sugar intake, I can make a huge
stride in my health, my energy,and even my mood on a daily basis".
(25:43):
Now if you are ready to go deeper andyou're like, "Hey, I recognize that
this is really important and I'm readyto get my health in check. I want to
dive. I'm ready to go all in right now".
Then I want you to go check out my LiveHealthy Mama course and I will walk
you through an effective but gentleplan that honors your real mom life
(26:08):
to help you step by step, learn howto stabilize your blood sugar, support
your hormones and rebuild your energyin a sustainable grace-filled way.
Whether you love understanding the why,or you just want to show up and have
someone tell you what to do, I've got you.
You were created for wellnessand it starts with small shifts
(26:32):
that add up to big change.
You can do this, mama.
We're doing it together.
In the next episode,we're diving into sleep.
Why?
Because it's more thanjust fatigue and fog.
We will talk about how deeprestorative sleep is one of the
most powerful tools for hormonebalance, detox, and cellular repair.
(26:58):
Plus how it's almost impossible to loseweight without a good night's sleep.
Mama, you can't afford to stay stuckin this mode of constant exhaustion.
Until then, breathe deep and rememberyou were created for wellness.
I'll see you next time.
(27:18):
Mama, I hope this episode blessedyou and reminded you that you were
beautifully and uniquely made to thrive.
If today's conversation spoke to yourheart, I'd love for you to take a
moment to leave a rating and review.
Not only does it encourage me,but it helps more tired mamas
discover the hope, healing, andenergy they've been searching for.
You are not in this alone.
(27:40):
Make sure to hit subscribeso you never miss an episode.
Together we will reclaim yourenergy, renew your health, and revive
your spirit one step at a time.
Until next time.
Remember, you are beautifully designed byGod to live with energy, clarity, and joy.
You're not just surviving mama.
You're stepping into the vibrantlife you were created for.
(28:02):
I'm cheering you on.
undefined
Hey mama.
Are you running on coffee fumes,feeling like brain fog, fatigue
and anxiety, or running the show?
Do you wake up dreading the dayahead already overwhelmed by the
endless to-do list, and unsurehow you'll make it through.
Do you long for the energyto enjoy motherhood?
(00:23):
And care for yourself, but feelstuck and unsure where to start.
Let me remind you ofsomething life changing.
You were created for more, moreenergy, more clarity, more joy.
Hi, I'm Jerusha, certifiedHolistic Wellness Coach.
Wife and mom to two wild boysand one baby girl in heaven.
(00:46):
I know the exhaustion you'refeeling because I've been there
barely making it through the day.
Relying on coffee and chocolate tosurvive and wondering why nothing
I tried ever made me feel better.
Then God stepped in andrevealed a powerful truth.
A woman's body is beautifullyand uniquely designed to thrive.
(01:07):
When we align with how God createdus, we can boost our energy bust
through fatigue and step into thevibrant, joy filled life he has for us.
Mama.
I'm living proof thatit's possible these days.
I wake up, refreshed, nourished my bodywith intention and navigate the chaos
of motherhood with patience and peace.
(01:28):
Most days, and I wannahelp you do the same.
If you're ready to swap exhaustion forenergy, brain fog for clarity and guilt
for grace, you are in the right place.
Each week we'll dive into practicalstrategies, faith-filled truths,
and empowering tools to renew yourhealth, body, soul, and spirit.
(01:48):
Are you ready for this?
Let's do it, mama.
If you've ever found yourself hiding inthe pantry with a chocolate bar or a pint
of ice cream, sneaking a few bites beforeyour kids come and discover you, just
trying to get through the chaos of a day.
I see you.
(02:08):
I've been there.
And while that sugary snack might feellike a lifeline in the moment, today we're
gonna talk about what it's actually doinginside your body and why it might be the
hidden culprit behind your exhaustion,stubborn weight, and your mood swings.
Now, this isn't about guilt,it's about understanding.
(02:31):
Because when you finally see theconnection between your everyday
symptoms and what's going on underneaththe surface, everything changes.
I.
If you listen to my last episode, youknow that I actually had an episode
for sugar and insulin recorded.
Not just written out,but actually recorded.
(02:53):
I was editing it.
I was ready to publish it.
Then I threw it in the trash.
That's because as I was going through,I kept adding to the outline and my
notes of things to talk about, andI was just like, "oh, there's this
connection, and there's this connection,and remember what it does over here,
(03:13):
and remember how it acts over here andoh, remember how it causes this thing?"
And I just kept adding and adding andI was like, "Ooh, this is so good".
But then as I was listeningback to it, getting ready to
publish it, I was like, "whoa".
If this is the first time that you'remaking all these connections with
(03:34):
sugar and insulin and its effects onthe body, that's a lot to take in.
And something was just not sittingright in my spirit, and ultimately
I decided this is too much, andthis is really not serving my
friends and fellow tired mamas well.
Because all this informationreally doesn't do anything for us.
(03:57):
Yes, it helps us make the connections, andI want to do that with you today because
I think making the connections betweenwhat's going on and the root causes,
which is why we're doing the series, isimportant because it helps us actually
say, " yes, I understand that connection,and now I have a course of action.
Now I have something tangible thatI can focus on and use to heal my
(04:19):
body because now I understand thisroot cause, this thing that's really
controlling my issues from the background.
Things that I didn't even recognize."And so that's why I'm passionate about
doing this with you and doing this series.
And I would love to know if youguys are enjoying the series.
Is it too much information?
Is it like, "wow, so many facts! I reallydon't care. Just tell me what to do".
(04:43):
Or are you like, "oh my gosh, this hasopened my eyes to some underlying things
that I've even maybe noticed about myselfor maybe somebody around me. And I think
that this is really encouraging and Idon't have all the answers, and maybe I
don't have the full picture of what I needto do, but I am starting to understand
my body more through this series".
(05:05):
So I would love to hear your feedback.
Let me know what are you thinkingabout this because ultimately,
I want to serve you guys.
I want to show up and have conversationsthat are helpful and productive, and that
serve you and where you're at right now.
You can send me an email.
My information is in the podcast details.
Or you can find me on social media,on Facebook under Chavah Wellness.
(05:29):
Or you can also go to my website,chava wellness.com, and there
is a link for the podcast.
You can contact me and leaveme a message about the podcast.
You can either submit a written comment,or a question if there's something that
you want me to talk about in the future,or you can leave me a voice message too,
(05:51):
whether it's a question or a comment.
So whatever method is easiest for youto reach out to me, I would love to hear
from you and make sure that I'm providingcontent that's valuable and helpful
for you in your real life, mom life.
So today, besides making these connectionswith what's going on in your body and
(06:12):
obviously identifying the root cause ofsome of your symptoms, I also want to
talk about the real life, what's going on?
Sugar has physicalimplications to our health.
It does steal our energy, and ultimatelyit'll make weight loss absolutely
impossible if you're dealing withany level of insulin resistance.
(06:33):
But also, the really big thing isthat as moms, we use sugar as an
emotional coping tool, and there'snothing to be ashamed about that.
We first need to recognize that, hey, um,being a mom is awesome and it's hard too.
You wake up already tired.
(06:53):
Coffee is your lifeline.
You're rushing through the morning,grabbing something sweet with your
caffeine, just to kickstart yourday, and a few hours later, you're
starving, irritable, maybe shaky andreaching for another quick fix, whether
that's the caffeine or the sugar.
You make it through the day oncaffeine, snacks, and survival,
(07:18):
and then the evening hits.
The kids are finally in bed.
You are wiped, but you reward yourselfwith a little treat, maybe a bowl of
ice cream or a few leftover cookies,and you tell yourself, "I deserve
this. Oh, after the day that I havehad, I have earned this treat".
(07:40):
Here's what was true for me for years.
I was eating sugar first thing in themorning in my coffee and finishing
my day with sugar at night, as wellas whatever sugar found its way
into my diet throughout the day.
And honestly, I didn'tthink I had a sugar problem.
I wasn't binging.
I was just trying to cope.
(08:01):
And honestly, I was looking forlittle moments of joy and a boost
of energy throughout my day.
But I had no idea how much those habitswere sabotaging my energy, my sleep,
my focus, my weight and really my mood.
It wasn't until I started changingthose small things, gently and slowly,
(08:21):
that I realized just how much insulinresistance had been playing a role
and how awful I felt every single day.
If you had asked me if Ihad insulin resistance, I
would've said definitely not.
That wasn't a thing that was inthe least concerning to me or
that I was concerned that I had.
(08:42):
I would also tell you that I've been tothe doctor and I was tested for diabetes
because it runs in my family and mytests always came back perfectly fine.
So insulin resistance wasn't somethingthat I ever even suspected, in the
least, about my health, and it definitelywasn't something that I was trying
to focus on, other than maybe cuttingout sugar so I could lose weight.
(09:07):
But when I got really serious aboutmy health, really serious, because
I was really desperate, I decided,I had read some material that talked
about the effect and importanceof addressing insulin resistance
when you're trying to lose weight.
And I thought, "Whatever.
Sure.
(09:27):
I'll try it.
I'll throw it in there, see whathappens, what could it hurt?
Hopefully it'll help me lose weight".
And the results were so profound.
Once I realized how good I couldfeel, I started to realize that
insulin resistance had actually been abackground issue for me for a long time.
(09:50):
And of course, if you've heard metalk about the wellness scale, I was
experiencing some level of insulinresistance, but I was not sick
enough to test positive on a test.
So essentially what the doctorswere saying were, " nothing's
wrong with you, so go home andwait till you feel bad enough.
When you are sick enough, come back,and then you can test positive for
(10:13):
diabetes , and then we can help you".
And ultimately, when I took my healthinto my own hands, I realized, oh
dang, I was experiencing insulinresistance and I had no idea.
Most people think that insulinresistance has nothing to do with
their underlying health struggles.
Hello (10:32):
me.
However, funnily enough, there are alot of people who swear by something
that you may have seen on social mediacalled their "pink drink", that helps
them feel light, energetic, and amazing.
Now, I've never tried the Plexusbrand pink drink, but one day
(10:52):
I got really curious about whypeople were raving about it.
Honestly, I just thought it was anelectrolyte and you know that I'm a huge
fan of electrolytes and I think they makea really big difference in our health.
So I thought that that's just what itwas, but I went to go check it out, and it
turns out it's not an electrolyte at all.
The main ingredient is designed tohelp you manage insulin resistance.
(11:16):
Hello!
No wonder ladies feel great on this drink.
Now, I'm all for products if they makethings enjoyable and convenient for you.
However, I never want anyoneto feel like their health is
dependent upon affording a product.
So let's keep going so you canfeel more equipped to steward
(11:36):
your health in every season.
Let's talk about some of the reallife symptoms of insulin resistance.
Even if your labs are normal, yourbody might be screaming for help.
Insulin resistance can show up likemid-morning or mid-afternoon crashes.
Cravings you can't explain.
(11:56):
Trouble losing weight,especially around your belly.
Waking up between two and 4:00 AM.
Feeling exhausted andwired at the same time.
Or needing sugar or carbsto keep functioning.
The thing is, is that it'snot a willpower problem.
It's a blood sugar problem, andonce we support that your body
(12:20):
starts to feel amazing again.
But before we talk about what todo about it, let's talk about the
root reason moms rely on sugar.
Here's something We don't talk aboutenough: sugar is a coping tool.
We turn to it when we're exhausted overstimulated, anxious, or feeling low.
(12:42):
Sugar offers us a quick boost,whether it's energy, comfort, or
that little hit of pleasure wheneverything else feels overwhelming.
But here's the hard truth, mama.
Many of the struggles we're tryingto fix with sugar are actually
being caused or worsened by sugar.
Things like exhaustion, anxiety, orlow mood, brain fog, or poor memory,
(13:09):
and feeling cranky, or just strugglingto be patient with your family.
It's a trap and not because you'redoing something wrong, but because
your body is trying to sootheitself in the only way it knows how.
But if we want to break outof that cycle, we have to do
more than just cut the sugar.
(13:31):
We have to find new sources of support.
There's a physical aspect to it, ofcourse, but there's also emotional and
spiritual support that's needed too.
And that starts with finding littlemoments of calm, little moments with God.
And I know as a mom you might be thinking,"that feels so impossible right now", and
(13:52):
that's okay because here's what I've seen.
When your blood sugar starts to stabilize,you begin to find capacity again.
Maybe you'll have more energy toget up early and read your Bible.
Maybe you'll feel more patient with yourkids, or maybe even enough to go for
a short walk or do a gentle workout.
(14:15):
When you get there, thosethings, they help curb cravings
emotionally and physically.
Healing isn't about restriction.
It's about giving your body and soul whatthey've truly been asking for all along.
So let's start with some everydayhabits that keep you stuck.
First of all, starting the day withsugar, like cereal or those leftover
(14:41):
desserts that were sitting on thetable, pumpkin pie, ice cream, cookies.
Or, if you are not eating breakfast,that's fine, but if you are putting
sugar in your coffee first thing in themorning, if that's the first thing that's
hitting your system, that's a problem.
Also, ending the day with sugar,like having dessert right before bed,
(15:03):
which I was guilty of for many, manyyears, and I can easily get back into
that bad habit if I'm not careful.
Also, eating carbs withoutpairing them with protein or fat.
Snacking all day and skipping real meals.
And using sugar to pushthrough stress or exhaustion.
(15:24):
Mamas, these things are so easy to doas tired, overstimulated, anxious moms
just trying to make it through theday, but none of this makes you bad.
It just makes you human.
But your body was designed forstability, not chaos, and healing
(15:44):
starts when we give it that.
Let's talk a little bit about howthis shows up in your whole body.
When blood, sugar and insulin are outof balance, it's not just about cravings
or weight gain, it affects everything.
Sugar goes through your digestive systemreally fast, and believe it or not, your
(16:07):
liver is one of the huge areas that isactually in charge of processing sugar
and too much sugar equals liver overwhelm.
Over time, this can lead tofatty liver disease, poor
detox, and hormonal imbalances.
In your gut, sugar feeds the badgut bacteria, which sends signals
(16:30):
to your brain asking for more sugar.
This creates a vicious cycleof cravings and poor digestion.
Your sleep is also affected.
A sugary bedtime snack or high cortisolfrom sugar crashes can wake you up in
the middle of the night, usually around2:00 AM, and ultimately prevent your
(16:50):
body from entering a deep healing sleep.
Not only are you gonna miss out ondeep sleep, but you're also going to
be missing out on that deepest level ofhealing that your body does at night.
Your stress is also really affected.
Sugar spikes equals cortisol spikes.
(17:11):
Cortisol is that stress hormone.
So your nervous system betweenthe two gets stuck in a fight or
flight system leaving you wired,but edgy and completely burned out.
Last is your hormones.
Insulin is a hormone and itblocks fat burning hormones like
(17:31):
growth hormone and glycogen.
So when insulin is constantlyhigh, it stores fat and it prevents
your body from burning it, even ifyou're eating well and exercising.
Mamas you cannot lose weight andignore your sugar intake or even your
(17:51):
underlying issue of insulin resistance.
It also interferes with estrogen,making it less effective, and it
slows your thyroid hormone conversionand stresses the adrenal gland.
Ultimately, all of this can lead tosluggish metabolism, mood swings, low
(18:13):
energy, and even PCOS, which is polycysticovarian system, and in a lot of medical
circles, it's actually being referredto as Type three diabetes because of
its strong link to insulin resistance.
So I'm not gonna get into all thenitty gritty details of how those
things work in the body, because that'sjust a little too much right now.
(18:37):
We'll have more conversations aboutthis and get into the details.
If you have a specific question or ifyou're like, "Hey, can you elaborate
on that", please go on my website,chavah wellness.com, and go to the
podcast tab, ask a question and letme know what you're wondering so that
I can address that specific thing.
Let's move on and talk alittle bit about fasting.
(18:59):
So here's the thing, if you've evertried fasting and you felt dizzy, shaky,
nauseous, or completely out of it,there's a reason for that, and often
it's a sign of insulin resistance.
When your cells are resistantto insulin, your body doesn't
access stored energy efficiently.
(19:22):
So when you go too long withoutfood, your system panics.
It can't tap into what it's stored.
But here's the thing youwere created to fast.
In Matthew six, verses 16 to 17, itsays, "when you fast, do not look
somber as the hypocrites do. When youfast put oil on your head and wash
(19:46):
your face." So the important thinghere is that it's saying when you fast.
God had times when he told the Israelitesto fast, and we're gonna talk about
that more in the fasting episode.
But the thing is, is that it doesn'tsay if you fast, it says when you fast.
And fasting is often thought of asa spiritual practice, and it is.
(20:11):
But here's the thing, God's purposes arealways multifaceted and he created the
body to benefit from fasting just likehe created our spirit to benefit from
fasting too, and ultimately it does both.
I know that for years I would go tochurch and they would call for fast
(20:32):
and I wouldn't participate because eventhough I had a desire to spiritually,
I knew that my body could not handlefasting, and it wasn't just about being
hungry and fighting through the hunger.
It was about the fact that I would feel soawful that I wouldn't be able to function.
(20:54):
Like I would have to lay on the couchand be sick, dinner wouldn't get
made, the kids wouldn't be taken careof, literally nothing was going to
happen because I would be so sick.
And I just knew that that wasn't somethingthat I could really put my family through.
And so I just wouldn't fast.
It wasn't until years later that I wouldfigure out that, well, one, I needed
(21:17):
electrolytes, but two insulin resistancewas operating in the background of my
life and preventing me from not onlynot being able to fast and receive the
physical benefits of that, but it keptme from the spiritual benefits too.
And so when I started addressingmy insulin resistance, it actually
(21:39):
made me more capable of fasting.
And the more I was able to fast, thebetter my insulin resistance got too.
The good news is that when you do itthe right way, intermittent fasting
can help restore insulin sensitivity.
It gives your body a break from constantsugar spikes, and it lets your cells start
(22:00):
responding again, and it's so, so healing.
So here's some advice thathelped me to get started.
Number one is don't startor end a fast with sugar.
That means don't eat sugar first thing inthe morning, and don't let it be the the
last thing that you're eating at night.
If you need to eat sugar, girl,there's a time to do it, and
there's a time not to do it, okay?
(22:20):
But keep it away from the firstand the last part of your day.
Because your fasting is whatyou're doing overnight, and that's
a really gentle way to start.
Also, if you're going to extendyour fast beyond just when you're
sleeping, start with somethinggentle, like a 12 to 14 hour fast.
So just for example, if you'restarting with a 12 hour fast, that
(22:42):
would be like 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
So from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM you can eat.
So you're not eating before 9:00 AMand you're not eating after 9:00 PM.
That would be a 12 hour fast, and thatwould be a really gentle way to start.
And then when you're doing thatwell, then start to extend it.
(23:04):
Do 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and thatwould be a 14 hour fast, and start to
slowly increase your time like that.
Not only will it be gentle on your system,but it'll feel doable and you can ease
yourself into the process of fasting.
Okay.
Number three is focuson food quality first.
(23:24):
So instead of thinking, I can't eat sugar,I can't eat sugar, I can't eat sugar,
when you know that you're craving itbecause you're trying to ease your body
into a state of not relying on it as much.
What you need to think of is, okay,first I need to eat some protein, some
healthy fats, and some fiber rich veggies.
Eat a really good quality meal, evenif it's in the middle of the day.
(23:48):
And once you've eaten somethingreally good, your protein, healthy
fats and fiber, those veggies,nutrient dense veggies in your body,
then go ahead and have that treat.
In fact, the middle of the day after agood quality meal is honestly the best
time of day to eat a treat if you're goingto, and that's often what I do as well.
(24:10):
So if you're stuck on, " Icannot give up my ice cream".
Move it from eating it at nightright before bed to eating
it in the middle of the day.
The last is avoid sugary breakfast.
Yes, even sweet coffee creamers count.
Okay?
Do not let the first thing thattouches your tongue be sugar.
(24:33):
You gotta get something goodinto your body, and then if you
need the sugar, then eat it then.
But don't let it be the first thing thatbreaks your fast, because let me tell
you, not only will it set you up forenergy crashes, but it'll set you up for
cravings, and it will put your body intoa system that holds onto your weight and
will absolutely refuse to let go of it.
(24:56):
I want to leave you withthis final encouragement.
Mama, you are not broken and youare not weak because you can't
resist sugar on sheer willpower.
And mama, you're definitely not alone.
You've just been stuck in a cycleyour body doesn't know how to
break yet, but now you have someinsight and that's the first step.
(25:20):
I hope that I gave you just enoughinformation today to empower you to
move forward and not to get stuckin information overwhelm, but to
know, "hey, if I can start to managemy sugar intake, I can make a huge
stride in my health, my energy,and even my mood on a daily basis".
(25:43):
Now if you are ready to go deeper andyou're like, "Hey, I recognize that
this is really important and I'm readyto get my health in check. I want to
dive. I'm ready to go all in right now".
Then I want you to go check out my LiveHealthy Mama course and I will walk
you through an effective but gentleplan that honors your real mom life
(26:08):
to help you step by step, learn howto stabilize your blood sugar, support
your hormones and rebuild your energyin a sustainable grace-filled way.
Whether you love understanding the why,or you just want to show up and have
someone tell you what to do, I've got you.
You were created for wellnessand it starts with small shifts
(26:32):
that add up to big change.
You can do this, mama.
We're doing it together.
In the next episode,we're diving into sleep.
Why?
Because it's more thanjust fatigue and fog.
We will talk about how deeprestorative sleep is one of the
most powerful tools for hormonebalance, detox, and cellular repair.
(26:58):
Plus how it's almost impossible to loseweight without a good night's sleep.
Mama, you can't afford to stay stuckin this mode of constant exhaustion.
Until then, breathe deep and rememberyou were created for wellness.
I'll see you next time.
(27:18):
Mama, I hope this episode blessedyou and reminded you that you were
beautifully and uniquely made to thrive.
If today's conversation spoke to yourheart, I'd love for you to take a
moment to leave a rating and review.
Not only does it encourage me,but it helps more tired mamas
discover the hope, healing, andenergy they've been searching for.
You are not in this alone.
(27:40):
Make sure to hit subscribeso you never miss an episode.
Together we will reclaim yourenergy, renew your health, and revive
your spirit one step at a time.
Until next time.
Remember, you are beautifully designed byGod to live with energy, clarity, and joy.
You're not just surviving mama.
You're stepping into the vibrantlife you were created for.
(28:02):
I'm cheering you on.
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