1. Lift. Muscle suck up glucose, improve (long term) sensitivity.
2. Eat fat/protein with sugary foods. Helps blunt the effect. [1]
3. Don't eat too many carbs. Even the AHA recommends below 60% because of other negatives. [2]
4. Eat the right carb sources. Starchy tubers are best: potatoes, yam/sweet potatoes, cassava and rice. And fruits like bananas, plantains and grapefruit.
5. Eat high GI foods unless your blood sugar is chronically elevated. The body likes glucose, particularly the brain. If your active and sensitive, you'll quickly use it for energy. When you're insensitive you need to cut back.
Isn't the claim of the parent article that _lower_ blood glucose and insulin levels decrease self control? So wouldn't all of those work in the wrong direction?
Eating too much or only carbs will spike your blood glucose and insulin production. After the carbs are gone your glucose level starts to decline pretty fast since there is too much insulin.
It's better to eat more fat/protein and keep the glucose levels more stable than ride a rollercoaster.
Yes it's counterintuitive. Chronically high insulin (insensitivity) is bad. But chronically low is bad also. Many (probably most) people have the former. So in the blood they have free floating insulin chasing nonexistent glucose, screwing their metabolism.
I recommended fewer carbs (and other measures) would lead to higher sensitivity; better blood glucose control.
He did offer solutions to lower blood sugar, but he also provided solutions to increase blood sugar sensitivity and told you to eat much better carbs. Tubers, Rice, etc etc.
The GI is narrow we need a holistic view of food. What we're really after is long term glucose/insulin sensitivity. The GI too focused on one aspect of food. We know of cultures (e.g Chinese, Kitavans) who thrive on high GI foods [1]. I don't follow the glycemic index much.
That said, it is relevant. Eating low GI and low carb generally is good for the obese and overweight. It'll do wonders against prediabetes and metabolic syndrome because they're insulin insensitive.
2. Eat fat/protein with sugary foods. Helps blunt the effect. [1]
3. Don't eat too many carbs. Even the AHA recommends below 60% because of other negatives. [2]
4. Eat the right carb sources. Starchy tubers are best: potatoes, yam/sweet potatoes, cassava and rice. And fruits like bananas, plantains and grapefruit.
5. Eat high GI foods unless your blood sugar is chronically elevated. The body likes glucose, particularly the brain. If your active and sensitive, you'll quickly use it for energy. When you're insensitive you need to cut back.
[1] Protein/Fat/Fiber and Glucose Sensitivity: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16988118?dopt=Abstract
[2] AHA Recommneds Less that 60% carbs a day: Search "carbs": http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=180