Instructions

Slowing Food 3: Post-Meal Physical Activity

Physical activity of almost any kind after a meal shunts blood flow away from the stomach and intestines, thereby slowing the rate of digestion. As we will discuss shortly, this does not need to take the form of a heavy bout of exercise. It can be a relatively short (10 or 15 minute) bout of low-to-moderate intensity activity such as taking or walk or doing household chores.

Slowing Food 4: Add Some Acidity

È60-min glucose response 55%*

Acidity in a meal can greatly slow gastric emptying. 2 tablespoons of vinegar prior to consuming a meal has been shown to blunt the net glucose rise after the meal by more than 50%. Including acidic foods in the meal, such as tomatoes, dressings, condiments and sourdough products, can produce a similar effect.

Tomatoes

Sourdough

Vinegar (Salad Dressing/Condiments)

Slowing Food 5: Meal Sequencing

Consuming the non-starch parts of a meal prior to consuming carbohydrates can slow the absorption of glucose through the small intestine. Also, keeping carb intake lower in the early and latter parts of the day can be beneficial, as glucose spikes tend to me more abrupt early and late in the day than in the middle of the day.

Eat veggies & protein before starch in mixed meals (30% peak reduction)*

Make lunch the “higher carb” meal (less at breakfast & dinner)**

Slowing Food 6: Medicinal Approaches

From a medical standpoint, alpha glucosidase inhibitors can slow and blunt the absorption of sugars through the small intestine. This results in a more steady and prolonged rise in glucose following meals. However, the gastric side effects may offset this benefit for most people.

a-Glucosidase Inhibitors

(acarbose, miglitol)

+ Slows carb absorption in the small intestine

+ Gradual glycemic rise post-meal

- Often causes GI upset/flatulence

Medicinal Approaches

DPP-4 inhibitors, which increase levels of GLP-1 in circulation, can indirectly improve pancreatic insulin secretion (in type-2s), blunt glucagon production, and slow gastric emptying. These combine to produce more stable glucose levels following meals.

DPP-IV Inhibitors:

(saxagliptin, sitagliptin,

linagliptin, alogliptin)

+ facilitate glucose-dependent insulin secretion

+ suppress glucose-dependent glucagon secretion

+ slow gastric emptying