Why you should up your antioxidants if you live with type 1 diabetes

What’s the deal with antioxidants?

Why do people like me (nutritionists!) always bang on about these little powerhouse compounds?

Let me explain.

There's a balance between oxidants and antioxidants inside our body.

Oxidants – are produced due to oxidative stress and include things like Reactive Oxygen Species i.e. free radicals, which you’ve probably heard of.

Oxidative stress in the body can be caused by things many things i.e. micronutrient deficiencies, pollution, immune responses to an infection, high and low blood sugars (this is pertinent!).

Oxidative stress can be balanced out by our own internal antioxidant system and antioxidants we eat.

Antioxidants – compounds that can protect your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals (think of them as coming along and ‘mopping up’ the free radicals).

If you live with T1D, it’s impossible to keep your blood sugars in range ALL THE TIME – you will have some highs and lows. That’s why it’s important to get lots of antioxidant-rich foods into your diet.

Antioxidants = fruits and vegetables! Specifically, phytonutrients found in the pigmentation. This is where eat the rainbow comes from (a cliché, but you can see why now!)

---

Aim to get as many different colours as possible

• Red (apples, tomatoes, radish)

• Orange/yellow (carrots, mangoes, turmeric, papaya, sweetcorn)

• Greens (spinach, sprouts, watercress, broccoli, peas)

• Blue/purple (blueberries, beetroot, aubergine, grapes)

• White/black (cauliflower, coconut, parsnips, black garlic)
  

Which colour are you going to focus on this week?

How to manage your T1D in the heat

Beth Edwards Nutrition | Type 1 Diabetes Nutritionist | London Nutritionist | How to manage type 1 diabetes in the heat

Has the heat got your type 1 diabetes hot under the collar?

Lots of my type 1 diabetes clients are noticing differences in their blood glucose levels now the temperatures have started to rise. Maybe you are too?

So what's going on? Well, it all comes down to PHYSICS. The extra heat increases the kinetic energy of the particles in our bodies and our insulin. This provides more kinetic energy (i.e. the insulin moves around quicker and therefore does its job quicker). Additionally, the heat expands your blood vessels, which in turn can speed up insulin absorption and possibly lead to lows.

---

What can you do?

1. Keep a close eye on BG levels. If you're dropping low across the whole day, you might need to reduce your background (basal) insulin.

2. Maybe you find you go higher in the heat. This could be due to your insulin overheating. Ensure you keep your pens and vials in cool, shady spots when out and about, and change your infusion sites (if using a pump) more often if you feel your insulin reservoir is getting too warm.

3. Always carry lots of water with you, particularly if you're running a little bit on the high side. When the body is dehydrated, BG becomes more concentrated due to the decrease in blood flow through the kidneys. This makes it harder for the kidneys to remove any excess glucose from urine.

4. It's extra important to keep hypo treatment on you if you know you're prone to going low in the heat.
   

What is your experience - high or low in the heat? (Or both?)

5 ways to manage the dawn phenomenon if you live with type 1 diabetes

Beth Edwards Nutrition | Dawn phenomenon | type 1 diabetes | breakfast | blood sugar balance

How to manage the dawn phenomenon

Virtual show of hands: who feels mornings can be the trickiest time of day to get a handle on blood glucose levels? Who also feels the morning rush of doing all the real life things that gotta be done, and wishing blood glucose just played ball so you can get on more easily?

If this is you, you're not alone. Managing mornings (the dreaded dawn phenomenon) comes up in the Beth Edwards Nutrition clinic a lot. I near enough discuss it with every 1:1 client who walks through my Zoom meeting room.

It's a tricky time of day with our normal circadian rhythms giving us a dose of stress hormones to get us up and out, but this indirectly raising glucose levels can be unhelpful for the t1ds among us.

Adopting a holistic, 360 approach is the way I play it. This covers all bases. But it can feel relentless work, and I get that. So let’s break it down into easier chunks - here are 5 nutritionist-approved tips you can adopt today!

1) Pre-bolus

Ensure you pre-bolus your insulin before eating breakfast. We know that ‘quick-acting’ insulin isn’t all that quick, and it needs at least 15 minutes to activate. You may find you need to try different lengths of time to establish the best pre-bolus for you (+ this may be different for each meal, too!). For further specific guidance, please see a detailed post I wrote on Instagram.

2) Movement

Do some gentle movement in the morning. We know that movement is a great way to shuffle glucose into the cell (to be used for energy) and that this can happen in the absence of insulin! Try some gentle stretching, a morning stroll, some yoga or reiki. It doesn’t need to be a full on sweat. The key is consistency, so find something you enjoy!

3) Sleep

Where possible, aim to get between 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. The benefits of sleep on health are endless and when it comes to type 1 diabetes, getting decent shut eye will lower morning cortisol levels (the stress hormone that drives up blood sugars) and improve glucose tolerance. Both are important to prevent those post-breakfast spikes - winning!

4) Balance your breakfast

And I don’t mean on one finger… eating a breakfast full of complex, low glycaemic load carbohydrates (whole grains, whole fruits, oats), good quality protein (eggs, clean protein powders, chia seeds) and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, flax, avocado) will ensure your plate is nice and balanced. Most typical Western breakfasts - cereals, toast and jam - are just carbohydrates. If you pair carbs with protein and fats, this will slow down the absorption of the carbs, reducing the post-meal spikes in blood glucose levels.

5) Eat dinner earlier

And consider avoiding late night snacks. This will increase the fasting window between meals, allowing your body to reset, your digestion to do its importance maintenance work and your insulin sensitivity to increase. It also means you won’t be going to bed with insulin on board, which makes blood sugar management a whole lot easier overnight - fewer CGM beeps and more chance of good-quality sleep (see point 3!).

---

So there we go, some top tips you can easily implement today to help you better manage and get on top of the dawn phenomenon. Let me know below - do you have any other T1D tried and tested tips?

{Interview} Ellie Selby, Person with T1D

T1D Inspiring Interviews Series

Hey guys. Happy 2021. It’s a new year and it’s time for a new interview!

I had a little chat with Ellie Selby, person with type 1 diabetes and all-round good egg! She’s got a great Instagram account that I encourage you all to check out!

Ellie shares the ups, the downs (+ everything in between) which such candour and honesty. Her refreshing take on T1D is a welcome relief, and for anyone reading along, I hope you feel a little less alone with your condition.

Full disclosure: Ellie was a client of mine last year and she was a DREAM to work with. It’s so great we’ve continued to stay connected over IG.

Without further ado, on to the reason why you’re all here - the interview with Ellie!

---

1) Tell us your type 1 journey! What age were you when you were diagnosed / what symptoms did you have?

I was 20 and felt terrible. I'd not noticed I'd lost 3 stones and was going out/drinking a fair amount to try and forget the fact I felt terrible. I remember I told one of my friends after I'd eaten that my blood felt like thick syrup (I freaked out about this when I was later diagnosed). My Dad had recently been diagnosed with Type 2, so I stole one of his ketostix and and then tried to forget the fact it turned black. A week later I felt even worse, so booked a GP appointment. I was tired,  constantly thirsty and going to the toilet, dizzy and had blurred vision. The GP pricked my finger and called the nearest hospital, who saw me an hour later. I was supposed to be admitted but begged to go home - our family dog had been put down that morning and not gonna lie, I just wanted my mum and my own bed haha. 

2)  What do you wish you'd known when you were newly diagnosed?

I wish someone had fully explained the implications and seriousness of the diagnosis. I feel like the consultants and nurses I saw were treading on eggshells because they didn't want to upset me. 

3) What is the worst thing about T1D?

I know everyone says it but the fact there is no escape. Sometimes when a hypo hits after a bad day I just don't have the energy left to power on and these moments are probably my lowest points. 

4) (Curveball) What is the best thing about T1D? 

Hands down this community, I owe so much to so many people and I'm grateful every day. 

5) What are the main challenges of living with type 1?

Trying to smile and remain positive when low at work. The exhaustion. The annoyance of post gym hypos. The mental burden on loved ones. Trying not to worry about "what ifs", and last but not least, shitty and inaccurate type 1 representation in the media and on tv, urgh. 

6) How do you deal with these challenges?

Yoga, meditation, coffee, puppy cuddles. My partner does a truly amazing job of supporting me, especially when I'm struggling to cope and want to give up. 

7) Where do you find support/how do you access support?  

My first DSN was amazing - she's the reason I have a pump and a cgm. Unless I have a medical issue that does need specialist input, I generally access support and advice online, primarily through Instagram. I still find it insane that I discovered the Type 1 IG community 7 years ago and am still in contact with the same inspirational and kind-hearted people today.

8) Can you recommend any great podcasts or blogs?  

Every time I go to listen to a podcast I can never choose and just listen to music and read instead. Am I old? 

9) Have you ever 'hidden' your type 1?

Not intentionally. There have been occasions where I've been in meetings and I've ignored the fact that I needed to bolus for 30 minutes because I'm too embarrassed to pull my pump out from my bra. It's usually when I'm the only female in the room and I'm concerned about appearing unprofessional to those that aren't diabetes tech-aware by rummaging around in my top. Why is it so hard to find dresses and skirts with pockets?!

10) How do you think type 1 has affected your relationship with your body?

Sometimes bruises and site insertions gone wrong get me down, but on the whole type 1 has actually improved my relationship with my body. I'm more in awe of what bodies do and am grateful that mine functions every day, with a little help from modern medicine and myself. I'm considerably less hard on myself and in a weird way I actually respect myself more and have greater self-worth. 

11) How do you think type 1 has changed your approach to life and living? 

I'm certainly more grateful for what I do have. I'm more aware of death and for the potential for things to go wrong which scares me. I rely on other people more (which I absolutely detest) and I force myself to rest when run down.

12) Type 1 is classified as a physical condition, but we all know there is an emotional burden too. Could you describe your experiences?

I struggle with separating the diabetes-related mental burden from the non-diabetes related... and I also have Bipolar Disorder. I've never experienced a distinct, prolonged phase of what I'd consider "burnout", but when stressed and struggling emotionally, I will let the tiniest diabetic frustration completely dominate my mood for hours. I hate the fact that sometimes before I've even got up, I've already got 6-8 hours of terrible blood sugars under my belt, which will then go on to affect my mood for the rest of the day. In terms of which I find harder to deal with, the emotional burden of type 1 far outweighs the physical, for me.

BONUS quick-fire round:

Omnipod or Medtronic?

Medtronic

Libre or Dexcom?

(Have tried both plus Medtronic and still Medtronic Enlite for me, sorry)

Juice or jelly babies?

Juice. Jelly babies scare me

Balmy summer nights or crisp wintry mornings?

Frozen wintery mornings!

Yoga or gym bunny?

Both!

Porridge or pancakes?

I eat porridge more but I definitely prefer pancakes

Diet Coke or Kombucha?

Can I opt for water pls?

Novorapid or Fiasp?

Novorapid

Halo Top or Oatly ice cream?

Halo Top

Morning bird or night owl?

Night owl

IGTV or Instagram Stories?

Definitely stories

Thank you so much, Ellie, for your wisdom and light in this T1D community of ours!

---

{Interview} Pete Lomas, Founder of NJaP

T1D Inspiring Interviews Series

Hey guys [waves]. Welcome back to another interview!

I had a little chat with Pete Lomas, person with type 1 diabetes and founder of patch company Not Just a Patch.

Not Just a Patch is designed to give maximum protection for your Freestyle Libre, Dexcom, MiaoMiao or Medtronic devices. The patch design is completely unique and original, designed by Pete after he found himself preoccupied with just how loose his Libre was getting - before the 14 days of wear was up.

If you’re familiar with the patches, you’ll know how colour they are . They’re designed to make a statement, so you can own your T1D tech and wear your diabetes on your sleeve (as a badge of honour).

Pete kindly sent me a sample of patches earlier this year and I haven’t looked back. I am always 100% confident that my Dexcom is going to stay in place if I use NJaP. I also wrote a guest blog post for them which you can read here: it’s ALLL about CGMs.

So if you’re a device wearer and you’re in need of some patches - check out NJaP!

Without further ado, on to the reason why you’re all here - the interview with Pete!

---

Hey Pete! Welcome. Please tell us your type 1 journey! What age were you when you were diagnosed / what symptoms did you have? 

I was 30 and living in London. I was training for the London Marathon and looking forward to spending Christmas in an Italian farmhouse with friends. I started peeing like crazy, was thirsty as hell and then my eyesight got blurry. I was telling my mate my symptoms and he suggested a Boots test kit. This led to a GP visit then a hospital trip. Woke up non-diabetic, went to bed diabetic. The twists and turns of life huh ;-)

What do you wish you'd known when you were newly diagnosed?

Nothing really…but if you want an answer, I wish I'd known what the catalyst was for the autoimmune response that killed the beta cells in my pancreas.

What is the worst thing about type 1 diabetes?

General inconvenience.

(Curveball) What is the best thing about type 1 diabetes?

I have a richer understanding of my body and its relationship to the things I put in it. And it's led me to create a business which has become a fulfilling passion and given my life a purpose that it previously lacked.

What are the main challenges of living with type 1?

1) It makes people around me worry and I don't want them to.

2) It impacts my health and my mood.

How do you deal with these challenges?

I try to reassure the people that it’s all OK and I take a balanced approach to life - enjoying as much as I can, not held back by diabetes.

Where do you find support/how do you access support?

I've just found a nurse educator, but until now I'd been pretty solo.

Can you recommend any great podcasts or blogs?

1) Beth's nutrition blog is practical and digestible (excuse the pun).

2) I like Dr. Rhonda Patrick's advice on nutrition.

3) Joe Rogan's podcast for entertainment and new perspectives.

4) Sam Harris's podcast for cultural, philosophical, political and social perspectives. 

Have you ever 'hidden' your type 1 diabetes?

Hmmmm…no.

How do you think type 1 diabetes has affected your relationship with your body?

As above, much richer appreciation for the effects of food, exercise, stress and all internal and external stimuli.

How do you think type 1 diabetes has changed your approach to life and living? 

Very little actually. I have found a community and feel part of that, as well the Not Just a Patch business has given me purpose and passion. I love helping T1Ds.

Type 1 diabetes is classified as a physical condition, but we all know there is an emotional burden too. Could you describe your experiences?

When I have hypos I tend to want to be left alone and can become frustrated. I don't like it when my partner thinks that I can manage my T1D better. I don't like my friends and loved ones worrying about me.

When did you launch NJaP and what was the reason behind that?

I had the idea in January 2019 and our first sale in July 2019. The reason was that I had been wearing the Libre for a year and found that by the end of the two weeks it was always getting loose and I was constantly thinking about it. I was also swimming more and had started doing hot yoga. With swimming 40 laps there was no way that the Libre stayed in place so I was making my own makeshift patches. I had been thinking about starting a business for a while and after listening to a podcast on entrepreneurship, this galvanised the idea to launch a CGM patch business. The design is unique and original and I am very proud of it.

What is your favourite patch / colour from the online shop?

Haha, well it was black at the start but now I tend to rotate with yellow being my current fave :-) 

BONUS quick-fire round:

Pump or pens?

Pens

Finger pricks or CGM?

Finger pricks

Orange juice or jelly babies?

Jelly babies or dates or Haribo

Balmy summer nights or crisp wintry mornings?

Damn! Got to be a tie tbh - love them both

Yoga or swimming? 

Haha probably yoga now, my body is falling apart and yoga is a little more gentle

Beach or mountains? 

Damn again…tie

Porridge or pancakes? 

Neither, I don't eat much breakfast these days as I do intermittent fasting as often as I can. If I do have breaky, it will be a bacon egg and cheese everything bagel or bacon, eggs, avocado, mushrooms and sourdough toasted

Diet Coke or Kombucha?

DC

Novorapid or Fiasp?

Novo

Vegemite or Marmite?   

Haha got to be Vegemite but I do also like Marmite

Morning bird or night owl? 

I've been both. Currently night owl due to business demands

Melbourne or Sydney?

I live in Sydney and it's the most naturally beautiful city in the world. I have many friends in Melbourne and have spent much time there and think that its culture and people are second to none

Thank you so much, Pete, for your wisdom and light in this T1D community of ours!

---

{Interview} Dan Newman, Type 1 Diabetes Blogger + Podcast Host

The T1D Inspiring Interviews Series is back!

Well, hey - hasn’t it been a hot minute since I did an interview with someone marv from the type 1 community?

Fear not, we’re back with a bang!

Dan Newman developed type 1 diabetes at the age of 10. He went on to experience diabetes distress in his teenage years and then developed chronic kidney disease in 2013. He places emphasis on being open in discussing his complications in a bid to reduce stigma and shame that can engulf these challenges. I for one (& I know there are many others) am extremely grateful for his honesty.

I first came across Dan on Jen Grieves’ podcast Type 1 on 1 - a pod where she interviews people doing wonderful things in the type 1 space. Dan’s episode is here. His wisdom and perspective shines through and his calming voice is a total tonic for the soul - you’ll be pleased to know you can hear more of his wisdom (& soothing voice) on his own fantastic podcast, The Talking Type 1 Podcast. Give it a listen (after you’re done with this blog post, of course!)

---

Without further ado, on to the reason why you’re all here - the interview with Dan!

Hey Dan! Welcome. Please tell us your type 1 journey! What age were you when you were diagnosed / what symptoms did you have? 

I was diagnosed when I was 10 years old during the summer holidays. I remember that I was drinking a lot but because it was hot outside my family didn’t think anything of it. My aunt took myself and my cousins to the cinema (movies) and I was unwell and that continued during the rest of the evening. My mum called the emergency doctor and he said you need to take him to accident and emergency (emergency room) now. What seemed like many hours the doctor told me that I had diabetes. I think I was in the hospital for a week or two but I can’t remember because it was so long ago!

What do you wish you'd known when you were newly diagnosed?

That there would be difficult times particularly the mental aspect that comes with living with type 1 diabetes. I think just seeing type 1 diabetes as a physical condition didn’t help me because it’s a physical, mental, and emotional condition all wrapped into one.

What is the worst thing about type 1 diabetes?

The, at times, unpredictable nature of type 1. The fact you can do the same activities, eat the same foods two days in a row and have two different results can be frustrating at times.

(Curveball) What is the best thing about type 1 diabetes?

The best thing for me is the skills and qualities it has taught me as a person. These qualities include me being more resilient, understanding of others and determined to succeed in whatever I do in life.  

What are the main challenges of living with type 1?

The challenge is that it’s an unpaid full-time job which you didn’t ask for, with no annual leave and you are the only employee. Type 1 is always there in the background no matter how much you tell yourself it isn’t. One challenge for me was to overcome trying to be the perfect diabetic who was always in range no matter when I tested my levels. I would think as the numbers as either good or bad and not just what they are - which is numbers.

How do you deal with these challenges?

I learnt to realise that trying to always have perfect levels whilst living with type 1 diabetes just isn’t possible. I learnt that the data from my blood glucose monitor was giving me information on what I needed to do next and that I was attaching emotion to the numbers.

Where do you find support/how do you access support?

The diabetes online community, in particular Instagram. I enjoy speaking to other type 1s from all over the world and speaking about the ups and downs of living with type 1. It’s nice to speak to people who just ‘get it’.

Can you recommend any great podcasts or blogs (as well as your own)?

One of my favourites is Type 1 on 1 | Diabetes Stories by Jen Grives. Jen is a great host and interviewer and I had the pleasure of being interviewed for her podcast. There’s also Emily and Miriam at Pancreas Pals and Brandon and Matt at Bolus Maximus both great podcasts. Finally, I have a podcast called The Talking Type 1 Podcast.

Have you ever 'hidden' your type 1 diabetes?

Definitely. I found type 1 particularly during my teenage years, so I would not tell many people at school. I’d inject under the table in class or go to the toilets to do my injection just so that I could appear normal to everyone else. I’ve hidden it in the workplace so in some jobs I only told one or two people who I felt needed to know just in case but I never actively spoke about my type 1.

How do you think type 1 diabetes has affected your relationship with your body?

I think being diagnosed at 10 I went through many life stages with type 1 so it was always part of my body. It has had a positive impact because I’m more aware if something isn’t quite right for example my levels usually go out of sync a week or so before I come down with a cold.

How do you think type 1 diabetes has changed your approach to life and living? 

It’s taken a long time to get here but I now aim to do my best every day when it comes to managing type 1 which I use in my everyday life. Type 1 has also shown me that I can get through the worst situations, it’s not easy or pleasant at times but there is an end and I also use this in my approach to life and living.

Type 1 diabetes is classified as a physical condition, but we all know there is an emotional burden too. Could you describe your experiences?

I’ve had diabetes distress and diabetes burnout particularly in my teenage years and early 20s. I never knew that there was a reason for how I was feeling at the time it was just how I felt. I had two changes in my life which put me on the right path to coming out of diabetes burnout and I’m thankful that they happened when they did. I also set myself small goals of testing my levels once a day and build on it. If I missed a test that day I wouldn’t be hard on myself and start again the next day and build-up momentum. A big challenge related to this is that I had to overcome (still occasionally do) is not attaching emotion to my blood sugar levels. I’ve learnt that the numbers aren’t judging me they are just giving me information on what I need to do next. I do think it’s important to celebrate when your hard work being a pancreas has paid off, for example, if you lower your HbA1c, you hit your target time in range.

When did you launch your podcast, The Talking Type 1 Podcast, and what was the reason behind that?

I launched my podcast in March 2020. My reason was to help others living with type 1 by interviewing different people about their lives with type 1 and sharing their experiences with others who live with type 1 diabetes. I like learning about people and believe that everyone’s story of living with type 1 is unique and can help another person.

I remember how I felt alone at different times when living with type 1 and I don’t want anyone else to experience that feeling. Overall, It has been a rewarding experience to speak to each guest.

Do you have a favourite episode, or one that you're particularly proud of?

Good question! An episode that I’m proud of is episode 10 called Black, Diabetic and Proud. I speak to other black people living with type 1 diabetes about their experiences living with type 1. We cover a number of topics including diabetes and health discussions within the black community, representation within the diabetes community and more. I like this episode because it was an opportunity to amplify the voices of other black people living with type 1. I have other episodes which I like; I’ve spoken to someone who had a pancreas only transplant, someone who has recovered from diabulimia, someone who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 47 years and a mum who wrote a letter to her son on his first diaversary which spoke about their experiences as a family during that first year. I’ve spoken to some great people.

BONUS quick-fire round:

Pump or pens?

Pump

Finger pricks or CGM?

Finger pricks

Juice box or jelly babies?

Both, but if pushed, juice box

Balmy summer nights or crisp wintry mornings?

Balmy summer nights

Diet Coke or Kombucha?

Diet Coke

Morning bird or night owl?

Night owl

Porridge or pancakes?

Porridge

Breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Dinner

The smell of insulin, love or hate?

Love

Thank you so much, Dan, for your wisdom and light in this T1D community of ours!

---

How to eat breakfast without stepping on the blood sugar rollercoaster

How to eat breakfast without stepping on the blood sugar rollercoaster

Despite eating breakfast, do your energy levels ever crash at 11am and you feel hungry again? Despite your best breakfast efforts, you just don’t feel like you’re ‘doing it right’?

I get it – it’s frustrating that you’ve fuelled up with breakfast, but then feel yourself reaching for the coffee and croissants mid-morning.

However, it doesn’t need to be this way. With a few simple tips and tricks, you’ll be able to create a breakfast that’s so nourishing, you won’t even be thinking of lunch until, well – lunchtime.

Yes, really!

I’ll share my number 1 top tip to keep blood sugars stable throughout the morning and finish up with a banging recipe to keep you fuller for longer.

The trio of glory (macros)  

Any meal, but breakfast especially, needs to contain the three macronutrients:

-       complex carbs (oats, berries)

-       protein (chia seeds, Greek yogurt)  

-       healthy fats (flaxseed, nut butters)

The reason why? Well when we eat carbohydrates with protein and/or fat, the breakdown of carbs – into glucose is slowed down.

This means that glucose is absorbed into your blood streams at a slower rate too, giving you a steady stream of energy throughout the morning.

Winner!

The problem with Cheerios

The typical western breakfast is normally a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast, without any protein or fat – cereals with milk, toast with jam.

This means that the glucose from these carbohydrates is broken down super quickly and hits your bloodstream. This gives you an initial boost of energy, but this quickly wears off – hence the drop in blood sugars at 11am and the rising hangriness.   

Blood sugar loving overnight oats

I’m a massive of fan of oats. They’re a great source of complex carbohydrates and fibre and if you want more #oatporn, follow me over on Instagram for regular pictures and recipes.

This is my go-to overnight oats recipe. It’s packed with nutrients, blood sugar loving foods and tastes pretty darn good too.

Ingredients

-       1 cup of oats

-       2 cups of plant milk (I like oat by Rude Health)

-       Handful of frozen berries

-       1 tsp ground cinnamon

-       Half a banana

-       Dash of coconut oil

-       1 tbsp nut butter

Method

1.    The night before, mix the oats, berries, milk and cinnamon in a bowl.

2.    In the morning, add the coconut oil to a pan and gently fry off the banana until golden brown (approx. 3 mins on each side).

3.    Top on to the oats with the nut butter.

4.    Enjoy!

Ta da!

So there we go. My golden tip for eating breakfast like a queen, preventing that blood sugar rollercoaster and keeping you powered up ‘til lunchtime.

Meaning: more productivity in your morning and fewer growling tummies!

---

Share this post?