MANILA - Blood sugar problems like diabetes are becoming increasingly common among Filipinos today. Licensed acupuncturist and bionutrition expert Liza Pascal says eating right is one way to prevent or manage extreme blood-sugar level spikes and crashes.

Pascal was in the Philippines for the past few months conducting health talks among a variety of Filipino audiences. She recently wrapped up her workshop titled the "Sugar Talk" at the Salcedo Village in Makati where she taught audiences how to stabilize their blood sugar, cut cravings for sustainable weight loss and "prevent or reverse" diabetes.

Here are some of Pascal's health tips for people who want to stay healthy and keep their blood sugar stable:

1. Eat 5 times a day. Aside from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, add 2 snacks to your daily meal plan. This is like eating every 2 or 3 hours. "If you wait longer than that, then your blood sugar crashes and you grab something unhealthy. This also keeps your metabolism stable so it's easier to lose weight if you want to. That's why if you eat less, you gain weight because it slows down your metabolism," Pascal explained.

2. Each meal should be balanced.  If you eat an apple it will only give you energy for a short while because you are missing out on fat and protein. But if you add a handful of almonds with your apple, then it can last you much longer. The rule of thumb is that every meal should have:
- a healthy carbohydrate (avoid potatoes, white flour-based food, white pasta, or white rice)
- healthy fiber (vegetables and whole fruits, except mangoes and pineapple)
- healthy fat (except man made fats, and take animal fats in moderation)
- healthy protein (avoid milk, eggs, or meat injected with hormones)

3. Value your breakfast. It's an oft-repeated rule but few people really follow it. Still, Pascal insists that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Avoid starchy and sugary meals or drinks for breakfast since this will set the tone for your body's erratic sugar spikes and crashes. Starting with healthy proteins, fiber, and slow-burning carbs can really keep your blood sugar under control for the rest of the day.

4. Jumpstart your day with water. Drink 2 cups of water over the course of the first 30 minutes of your day. "Because when you go to sleep, your body basically gets rid of toxins in your body through pee. So if you don't refuel your body with something clean, then you're just using old, dirty water [in your body]," Pascal said. You are more likely to drink more water later on, plus you feel energized and hydrated.

5. Supplement your diet. Adding things to your diet to lower the effects of sugar on your body is key to low-glycemic eating. Make sure you ingest fiber, essential fatty acids like olive oil or high-grade fish oil capsules. Make sure your fish oil supplements do not have mercury. Drink plenty of room-temperature water since ice water prompts the body to heat up to neutralize the temperature and freezes digestion. Also, choose a good quality multivitamin for cellular health and always include omega-3 (from fish or flaxseeds) into your diet.

6. Manage your stress. Pascal explained that stress triggers stress hormones, which prompt the body to release fat and sugar into the blood, thinking that your system needs fuel for distress. "But we can get stressed, sitting in a car, in traffic. So your body is filled with all this excess sugar and fat that gets stored in the body because you don't use it. Actually, stress causes fat in your body," she said. Do whatever you think will relax you, except watching TV. Opt for dancing, a walk, a soothing bath, or simply taking deep breaths.

7. Movement is key. Moving your body can also help lower your blood sugar level, facilitates hormone balance, and helps weight loss. Do this at least 20 minutes a day. Not sure when to exercise or what exercise to pick? "The one that you'll do or the exercise that you like is the right one. The right time for you to move is the one that works for you. Dancing, swimming, yoga - whatever it is, do something," Pascal said.

8. Follow the 80-20 rule. Follow all of these health tips 80 percent of the time. Don't try to go for 100 percent because it will strain you. Allow 20 percent of your week to be spontaneous so that you don't feel like you're depriving yourself too much. "And 80 percent is so much change already, why not go for that? And it's normal, we're human, we want to be able to eat and share our cake with someone. It's going to be difficult anyway, you can't just eliminate it completely," Pascal said. Report by Kristine Servando, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak. Photo taken from Johnson & Johnson.

For questions or inquiries, contact Liza Pascal at lizapascal@gmail.com or visit 1 Salcedo Place, Unit 1204, Velasquez Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City for more health talks.