Functional Root

11/01/2026

Struggling with the time change more than others? Your natural sleep rhythm may be why. Night owls often need more time to adjust than early birds.

Are you a night owl or an early bird?

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween. If tonight includes candy, pairing it with a spoonful of nut butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a handful of nuts slows the sugar hitting your bloodstream and takes some of the edge off the crash that follows.

10/30/2026

Dates, blended with a little cocoa powder, cinnamon, and nut butter, make a naturally sweet treat with real fiber and minerals in it, a good one to have ready if trick-or-treating leaves you wanting something sweet too. 🌰

10/29/2026

Blood sugar balance plays an important role in your energy, metabolism, and ability to maintain a healthy weight.

And it's not just about how much sugar you eat.

Your insulin sensitivity, sleep quality, stress levels, inflammation, and even muscle mass all influence how your body manages glucose.

One interesting thing about insulin resistance is that your body can compensate by producing more insulin, keeping blood sugar within the normal range for some time.

That's why I pay attention to metabolic health as a whole, not just glucose numbers.

Along with nutrition, movement, and sleep, certain botanical compounds have been studied for their ability to support healthy blood sugar regulation.

One product I personally take daily is CellCore's GCO.

What I like about this formula is the combination of ingredients that have been studied for different aspects of metabolic health.

Berberine - One of the more extensively researched plant compounds for supporting glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Cinnamon - Studied for its potential to support healthy blood sugar regulation.

Astaxanthin - A powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells against oxidative stress.

Masson Pine Bark - Contains antioxidant compounds being investigated for their effects on cellular and vascular health.

GCO also contains BioActive Carbon, CellCore's proprietary fulvic acid blend.

I like that this formula brings together several botanical ingredients rather than relying on just one.

For me, supporting healthy blood sugar is part of a bigger picture that includes metabolic health, energy, and healthy weight management.

Of course, supplements are only one part of that picture. Nutrition, resistance training, regular movement, and quality sleep still matter.

If you'd like to see the full formula, I've included the product details below.

You would need a Patient code: PrqpdzkY

GCO is a blood sugar support supplement formulated with nutrients and herbs to support existing healthy blood sugar levels, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and digestive function.*

10/29/2026

Melatonin follows darkness, not the clock. That's why your body may need time to adjust after the time change. Getting morning sunlight at your new wake-up time can help reset your internal clock faster.

10/28/2026

HbA1c estimates your average blood sugar over approximately three months, but it doesn't measure glucose directly.

Instead, it measures how much glucose has attached to hemoglobin in your red blood cells.

And here's why that matters.

Iron-deficiency anemia can sometimes make HbA1c appear higher than your actual blood sugar levels suggest.

Conditions that shorten red blood cell lifespan can have the opposite effect, producing an artificially low result.

This is one reason I don't interpret blood chemistry markers in isolation.

When evaluating blood sugar regulation, I like to look at three markers together: fasting glucose, HbA1c, and fasting insulin.

Each tells us something different. Fasting glucose shows your blood sugar at that moment, HbA1c reflects a longer-term pattern, and fasting insulin can provide clues about how much insulin your body needs to maintain those levels.

If the results don't seem to agree, I also consider a CBC, ferritin, and other iron studies to investigate whether red blood cell health might be influencing HbA1c.

Sometimes, additional glucose monitoring or a test like fructosamine can provide useful information.

The goal isn't just to see whether your numbers fall within range. It's to understand what may be influencing them.

Have you ever had an elevated HbA1c while your fasting glucose was normal?

Yelena Tselenchuk, BCDHH, BCN, BCHP

10/28/2026

Most people's blood sugar dips a little after something sweet, and they feel a bit tired or want more sugar.

For some people, the drop overshoots further than that.

Blood sugar swings past where it started, and what follows feels different: real shakiness, a racing heart, sudden anxiety, or a sense that something is wrong and food is needed immediately.

This has an actual name, reactive hypoglycemia, and it's a distinct pattern from an ordinary energy dip, driven by an insulin response that overcorrects rather than one that's simply present.

It's often mistaken for anxiety itself, since the physical sensations overlap so closely, which means the real driver can go unaddressed for years while someone works on calming a nervous system that was never actually the problem.

Have you ever experienced this?

10/27/2026

Getting drowsy an hour after lunch can be an early sign your insulin is working overtime.

When cells respond to insulin less easily, the pancreas makes more of it to keep blood sugar steady.

Blood sugar and A1C can stay in range for years while that happens, so the standard tests can look fine.

The extra insulin tends to show up in other places first.

-Weight that gathers at the waist.

-Skin tags on the neck.

-Even new chin hairs, since extra insulin can raise testosterone.

I wrote up all the signs, the one blood test that shows what's going on, and why the order of what you address matters, in my private women's group. The link is in the comments.

Yelena Tselenchuk, BCDHH, BCN, BCHP

10/27/2026

When your cells become less responsive to insulin, your pancreas may compensate by producing more. This can keep glucose within the normal range, sometimes for years.

Insulin also helps regulate how your body stores and uses energy, including fat.

Of course, weight regulation involves much more than insulin alone. But understanding your metabolic health can help identify factors that deserve attention.

One marker I consider during functional blood chemistry analysis is fasting insulin.

When evaluated alongside fasting glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol, it may offer additional insight into insulin sensitivity.

No single marker tells the whole story, and fasting insulin alone cannot diagnose insulin resistance.

Have you had your fasting insulin tested, or has your bloodwork only included glucose and HbA1c?

Yelena Tselenchuk, BCDHH, BCN, BCHP

10/26/2026

Ever have something sweet, only to find yourself looking for another snack an hour or two later?

Oftentimes, blood sugar fluctuations play a role.

Research has found that larger drops in glucose after meals are associated with increased hunger and eating sooner. But cravings can also be influenced by poor sleep, stress, and what you ate earlier in the day.

If this happens regularly, start paying attention to when the cravings appear and what you ate beforehand.

For example, do they happen after a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast, when you've gone too long without eating, or even after a balanced meal?

These patterns can offer useful clues about appetite regulation, especially if you're working on weight management.

Do you struggle more with cravings between meals or feeling hungry again shortly after eating?

Yelena Tselenchuk, BCDHH, BCN, BCHP