Author: Narado Zeco Powell CFT|CNS|CES

Welcome to another weekend short of The Matter Over Mind Experience, this Master Trainer & Weight Management Expert, Narado Zeco Powell 

This weekend, I will explain the role exercise plays in blood sugar control. 

We know that steady blood sugar is vital for sustainable fat-loss

Today, I will explain why exercise is important in this process & I will provide a list of the best exercises for blood sugar control

Before I begin, remember to check out The Zeco Recommendation Page for all products I recommend for fitness, health & fat-loss

The link is in the shownotes & the description of the podcast 

The Zeco Recommendation Page

Now, let’s begin

First, let’s discuss why blood sugar control is important:

1. Research tells us that there are connections between insulin resistance & weight-gain. 
2. Poor blood sugar control leads to insulin resistance, pre-diabetes & type 2 diabetes 
3. Up to 47% of people worldwide are insulin resistant.

Now, let’s talk exercise

When you exercise, your muscles use more glucose, the sugar in your bloodstream

Over time, this can lower your blood sugar levels

It also makes the insulin in your body work better

It sounds easy right? Exercise more and lower blood sugar, but it is not that simple

The type of exercise is important 

Here is a list for the best exercises for blood sugar control from Healthline:

Walking

Cycling

Swimming

Team sports

Aerobic dance

Weightlifting

Resistance band exercises

Calisthenics

Do you know what all these have in common?

They are not strenuous & can be done at your own pace

Primarily, training in level 2

Moderate intensity training, even if you temporarily cross the anaerobic zone tends to be more beneficial for fat-loss & blood sugar control

High intensity can be helpful for many reasons, we have more evidence now that explains the benefits of moderate exercise 

Excessive intense training actually creates more sugar cravings

High intensity training causes you to provide the stress hormones such as adrenaline, which stimulates your liver to release more glucose

It may take 24 to 48 hours for blood glucose to fall to normal levels

This is not necessarily bad, however, if you are ways training above the anaerobic zone, well you are constantly triggering stress hormones, in turn, your blood sugar does not normalize 

Don’t worry, variety is the spice of life

Have a mixture of moderate & high intensity days

If you are trying to lose weight,  I recommend no more than 2 high intensity days and 3 moderate days

This way, you can take advantage of the benefits of both types of exercise 

Next week’s short will be on the benefits of high intensity training 

Enjoy your weekend fam

Welcome to another weekend short of the Matter Over Mind Experience.

I am your host, Master Trainer & Weight Management Expert, Narado Zeco Powell

We know that keeping your blood sugar steady is important in health, fitness & fat-loss

I have had experts on the show who explain that our bodies regulate how much glucose to keep in our blood

After this, our bodies store the excess as glycogen & once that bucket is full, it converts the excess to fat

This is one reason why just talking about calories falls short

In this weekend’s short, I will give you a hack on how to eat to keep your blood sugar steady, which is important to prevent cravings 

Before I begin, remember to visit The Zeco Recommendation Page for products I recommend for health, fitness & fat-loss. 

The link in the show-notes

The Zeco Recommendation Page

Now, let’s begin

I explained above why it is important to keep our blood sugar steady, so now, I will explain how

It really comes down to how to organize your plate.

To begin, I recommend to most people to eat more fiber rich, complex carbs

As far as plate organization

First, even eating complex carbs, I do not recommend eating carbs first

Now, there are exceptions to the rule like if your blood sugar is too low

Before making any dietary changes, please consult a medical or dietary professional.

These are general guidelines, not specific recommendations

Studies show that higher fat meals, typically defined as meals with more fat, can reduce early responses on blood glucose levels for a few hours. The blood glucose peak was pushed out later and caused a sustained blood glucose response that often carried on for several hours

So, yes, eating fats with your meal can be beneficial in managing blood glucose

Studies also show that higher protein meals began producing a noticeable effect on blood glucose levels 1.5 to 2 hours after being consumed.

So, it stands to reason that eating fats and proteins with our meals can help to keep our blood sugar steady

Couple things I want to highlight:

1. This is not an excuse to go snacking on high fat foods’
2. Results & timing vary person

Now, let’s talk fiber

It is well documented that fiber slows down digestion which helps to keep blood sugar steady

This is why complex carbs are richer in fiber than simple carbs

For example an orange is a better option than orange juice

So, I always recommend to download a glycemic load app and use it as a guide

Carbs have the greatest impact on blood glucose, however pairing your carbs, especially complex carbs with fats & proteins and significant slow carb digestion which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels steady.

Even though there is more work to do in this area, this is a hack that can really impact you

The moral of the story is, especially if you are trying to lose weight, consider pairing your carbs

Crush the weekend fam. 

Welcome to another weekend short of The ZecoHealth Show 

This is Weight Management Expert,  Narado Zeco Powell 

This weekend, I will clarify the age-old question, should we eat carbs before bed.

Knowing the answer to & implementing a proper protocol can make a difference in plateau or fat-loss.

Before I begin, remember to check out The Zeco Recommendation Page which has products I have recommended for health, fitness & fat-loss. 

The link is in the show-notes & the description of the podcast. 

The Zeco Recommendation Page

Let’s begin. 

First, before making any dietary changes, make sure to consult a dietary or medical professional. 

Second, foods are not one thing or the other.

I mean, we sometimes think that some foods are carbs, protein or fats.

Well, that does make any sense. 

A mango may be mainly carbs, but not 100% carbs.

For example, it has fiber 

To go further, all the carbs are not fructose or glucose, they contain both.

Different foods have different combinations of macros & micros.

Should we eat carbs at night? 

First we have to know what happens when we eat carbs.

I am going to focus on fructose & glucose.

Almost all fruits & berries have both. 

What happens when we eat glucose? 

When we eat, our body immediately starts working to process glucose.

Enzymes start the breakdown process with help from the pancreas. 

The pancreas, which produces hormones including insulin, is an integral part of how our body deals with glucose.

 When we eat, our body tips the pancreas off that it needs to release insulin to deal with the rising blood sugar level.

Why is this important to know?

Well, our brain runs well on glucose & getting adequate amounts feeds our brains & helps us to sleep well.

Some people, however, can’t rely on their pancreas to jump in and do the work it’s supposed to do.

One way diabetes occurs is when the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin in the way it should.

If you are diabetic or insulin resistant, be careful eating too much glucose, primarily at night.

Also, you may need to see a dietary professional.

Now, let’s talk about fructose.

Glucose and fructose are metabolized very differently by the body.

Unlike glucose, fructose causes a low rise in blood sugar levels.

While every cell in the body can use glucose, the liver is the only organ that can metabolize fructose in significant amounts.

When people eat a diet that is high in calories and high in fructose, the liver gets overloaded and starts turning the fructose into fat.

Excess glucose or fructose can convert to fat.

Now, I mentioned earlier that feeding the brain glucose before bed promotes quality sleep.

That is why I find it ok for most people to eat some berries or fruit before bed.

Then what happens to the fructose?

Well this gets tricky. 

The fructose can store as glycogen or convert to fat.

The key thing here is, like anything else, it depends.

If you are on a low carb diet, you can replenish your liver & muscle glycogen.

If you overeat carbs, then the excess can be stored as fat.

This is a vital distinction.

Some people say to not eat carbs at night because it converts to fat, but actually if you feed your brain some glucose at night, primarily for those on a low carb diet, your body will better manage your cortisol during sleep & promote fat oxidation during sleep.

By the way, our brain can also use ketones.

Then, the answer really varies, but I want you to be aware of the distinctions I made above. 

The moral of the story is if you are on a low carb diet or if you are an athlete who uses up carbs, then some fruit, berries, or even honey with apple cider vinegar can improve your sleep quality which is vital for system weight management. 

In my interview with Dr. Michael Platt, an expert on Adrenaline, mentioned that sweet potato or veggies cooked in coconut oil can lower adrenaline during sleep.

I recommend you experiment with the timing & amounts until you figure out what works best for you.

Enjoy your weekend fam!

Welcome to another episode of The ZecoHealth Show 

This is Weight Management Expert Narado Zeco Powell 

If & how detox can help in weight-loss 

It seems everywhere we turn, we hear about detox and its benefits, but are there really any?

If there are, what are they & how can they benefit you?

Before I begin, remember to check out the Zeco Recommendation Page for products I have recommended for fitness, health & fat-loss along with my discount code. 

The link is in the show-notes & description of the podcast. 

The Zeco Recommendation Page

Now, let’s begin

There has been a small amount of research done on detox & detoxification. 

Some say that detox has fantastic benefits for insulin resistance, weight-loss, eliminating toxins from your body & more while others say there aren’t any benefits.

Then this gets confusing. 

Before I go further, let’s discuss how detox programs usually work.

They usually include:

1. Fasting 
2. Drinking only juices
3. Eating only certain foods 
4. Using herbs
5. Using supplements 
6. Using a sauna
7. More

Now, even though there isn’t much research on detox, there has been research on these habits separately.

For example, we know the benefits of fasting, sauna use (primarily red light sauna), certain herbs & more.

Now, let’s discuss safety

Some detox programs can be unsafe & falsely advertised 

The USDA & FDA have taken action against several companies selling detox/cleansing products for reasons like:

1. They contain harmful substances 
2. Marketed with false claims
3. Medical devices marketed with unapproved uses

So, be careful & do your research 

In the show-notes, I put the link to couple websites where you can research detox & other health topics 

https://nccih.nih.gov/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Let’s talk how detox can be beneficial according to Healthline:

1. Especially when combined with fasting can give your body a rest from digestion & promote cellular autophagy & improve cellular repair.
2. Toxin Removal especially when you use clean ingredients 
3. Better digestive health 
4. Improving mood
5. Increase energy levels 

Here are some things to avoid & tips to consider:

1. Use natural as much as possible. A simple approach like water with lemon can be beneficial 
2. Do not do excessive fasting. In fact research suggests that women should not fast more than 12 to 14 hours & men, 14 to 16 hours daily.
3. If juicing, do not use high sugary drinks
4. Add some bitter into your protocol 
5. Do your research before starting any program
6. Do not make any dietary changes before speaking to a medical or dietary professional. 

Thanks for joining 

Enjoy your weekend fam