🌿 Your Body Knows — The Hidden Link Between Blood Sugar and Anxiety

by Rebekah Rizzo, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Center for Nutritional Healing

Message from Cindy: I'm excited to introduce a new contributor, Rebekah Rizzo, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and our former front desk receptionist. With a background in nutrition, gut health, and hormone support, she's navigated her own health challenges — and her family's — with passion, curiosity and determination, gaining firsthand insight into what it truly means to live this journey from the inside out. Enjoy! ~ Cindy Harrington, owner/practitioner at Center for Nutritional Healing

When you hear the word stress, maybe you think of a hectic schedule, a tough conversation, or that feeling of being pulled in too many directions. And yes — emotional stress is very real, and it's often the loudest.

But here's the thing: what we feel isn't always the full story.

While emotional stress grabs our attention, it's often the hidden physical and chemical stressors that quietly drain our energy and keep the nervous system on edge. Things like inflammation, poor sleep, toxins, pathogens, and  structural imbalances — and one of the most common, yet overlooked:

 👉 Blood Sugar Imbalance

 For a long time — maybe my whole life — I didn't realize that what I called anxiety was often my blood sugar talking!

 I'd push through busy days, running kids to sports and appointments, skipping meals or grabbing something small to get by. I thought I was doing the right thing by spacing out meals and avoiding snacks. But more often than not, I'd feel this jittery sensation — like I was on edge, but couldn't explain why.

 At first, I assumed it was “just anxiety” — the tension, restlessness, brain fog, even the occasional racing heart. But what I didn't realize was that these were actually signs my body was struggling with one of its most vital tasks: keeping my blood sugar stable and using glucose efficiently.

The Fasting Wake-Up Call

There's a lot of buzz around intermittent fasting these days. And while it can be helpful for some, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.  I thought I was doing it right — until I started waking up earlier and earlier with a racing heart. Eventually, I realized: my body was desperately trying to raise my blood sugar. Not exactly ideal at 3:45 AM because it led to chronic insomnia!

Nourishing Instead of Stressing

Now, I eat in a way that supports my blood sugar rhythm: regular meals, plenty of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and healthy fat — all tailored to what my body actually needs. That edgy, anxious feeling? Almost nonexistent. I'm sleeping soundly and waking up at a normal hour.

I'm finally working with my body instead of against it — fueling it, not riding a roller coaster of chemical stress. Here's how each macronutrient plays a key role in that balance:

• Protein slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream and supports steady energy.
  Examples: red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, bone broth.

• Healthy carbs help stabilize blood sugar and support natural cortisol rhythms, especially at night.
  Examples: low-oxalate veggies, low-glycemic fruit, white rice, honey.

• Fat slows digestion, stretches out the energy from your meal, and helps prevent energy crashes.
  Examples: butter, coconut oil, ghee, egg yolks, bacon, avocado, low-oxalate nuts (pistachios & Barukas).

Tips to Support Blood Sugar Balance (whether yours is high or low):

• Eat within 30–60 minutes of waking

• Include protein, fat, and carbs with each meal (don't skip the healthy carbs!)

• Avoid going more than 3–4 hours without eating

• Use snacks strategically to keep energy steady

• If you're waking up wired at night, try a bedtime snack with a little protein and healthy carbs

Your Body Knows — We Just Have to Listen

The good news? Your body has a lot to say. That's one reason I'm such a fan of Nutrition Response Testing. At Center for Nutritional Healing, this approach — combined with Advanced Lab Testing — can reveal whether blood sugar imbalance is acting as a hidden stressor.  From there, Cindy can create a targeted plan using nutrition and supplements to help bring the body back into balance.

If this resonates with you or raised questions about your own blood sugar balance, don't hesitate to reach out! The team at Center for Nutritional Healing is always here to help — you can call (484) 938-7691 or send us a message today and get connected.