Clothing the Carbs of Life: A Lesson in Emotional Agency
A while back, a friend told me about a lifestyle shift that was making a significant difference in her energy levels. She pointed me toward the "Glucose Goddess"—an author and biochemist who uses science-backed hacks to manage blood sugar. As a sucker for the intersection of science, self-help, and wellbeing, I was immediately hooked.
The core of her work revolves around the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). She shares fascinating diagrams showing how our bodies react to different foods. For instance, eat a "naked" banana on an empty stomach, and the graph shows a violent, jagged spike. But eat that same banana with a spoonful of peanut butter, and the curve flattens. The healthy fats and proteins "clothe" the carbs, slowing the glucose absorption and saving your system from a hormonal rollercoaster. Her assertion is that glucose spikes impact all of us—not just diabetics—affecting everything from our long-term health to our daily moods and mental clarity.
The hacks she offers are quite simple: have a savory breakfast, move after you eat, and start your meals with a "veggie starter." But the big one for me was the idea of "clothing your carbs." If you’re going to have toast, have it with avocado or almond butter. Naked carbs on an empty stomach set up the rollercoaster; clothed carbs keep you steady.
After a few months of incorporating these ideas, I felt a undeniable change. My energy stabilized, my midday crashes vanished, and I felt a new sense of agency over my physical body. But as I spent more time pondering these "glucose spikes" and "flattening the curve," I realized these aren't just principles for eating. They are principles for life.
Imagine if we wore a "Continuous Mood Monitor." Think about the last time you had a sharp argument with a partner or a friend. If you were already feeling depleted or disconnected, that argument hits your system like a naked carb. Without any protective buffer, your mood spikes into anger or crashes into despair. The jagged line on your emotional graph is violent, and the "hangover" lasts for days.
But what if you had that same argument within a relationship that was already "clothed"? I began to wonder how we spiritually and emotionally put clothes on our carbs. What does that look like in practice? I realized that we can build our own "fibers" and "fats" to flatten the curve of life’s inevitable stressors.
Communication is the first essential fiber. When a disagreement occurs, a history of clear, honest dialogue acts like the fiber in a veggie starter. It slows everything down. Even when things taste "bitter" in the moment, the ability to say, "I’m feeling misunderstood right now," allows the conflict to be processed slowly rather than just spiking your heart rate.
Connection acts as the healthy fat. Misunderstandings escalate most dangerously when we feel isolated or untethered. A sense of connection—to the other person, to ourselves, and to life itself—provides the buffer that keeps a sharp comment from sending us into a tailspin.
And finally, there is Cariño—that deep, affectionate caring. When you are certain of the cariño someone has for you, you filter their mistakes through a protective mesh. If someone who loves you says something harsh, you don’t immediately internalize it as a total rejection. You take it in stride or simply ask for clarification because the "protein" of their care has slowed the entry of that stressor into your system. However, if that same comment comes from a place where there is no cariño, it hits your system raw. It is a naked carb, and the inflammation is immediate.
Communication, Connection, and Cariño are the clothes for the carbs of life. Reclaiming our agency isn't about stopping the spikes—we cannot always control the "bananas" life throws our way. But we can choose not to meet those moments on an empty stomach. By clothing our experiences, we stay off the rollercoaster and find the steady energy to lead ourselves well.
