Everyday Choices May Drive Blood Sugar Surges, Expert Says

WHO:

Fox News - Jim LaValle is a Texas-based clinical pharmacist and metabolic medicine expert.

Fox News - LaValle told Fox News Digital that understanding how food, exercise, sleep and stress affect blood sugar is key to managing it.

NY Post - The article describes an expert as saying that controllable everyday habits may be linked to blood sugar spikes; it does not name the expert in the provided text.

WHAT:

NY Post - Maintaining healthy blood sugar is essential for energy, organ function and overall metabolic health; frequent or prolonged spikes and drops can contribute to health complications.

Fox News - Everyday habits, including breakfast choices and sleep duration, can significantly affect blood sugar levels.

Fox News - LaValle recommends monitoring postprandial glucose—blood sugar after meals—to see how foods, beverages and eating habits affect levels.

Fox News - LaValle asked: “Do I spike more from eating rice, or do I spike from eating quinoa? How much can I eat?” He called this “a foundational issue.”

Fox News - Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive to insulin; inflammation can influence this process.

Fox News - LaValle favors a higher-protein breakfast over one heavy in carbohydrates and said people should watch the sugar and refined carbohydrates in food.

Fox News - LaValle recommends a 10-minute walk after eating to help lower or balance blood sugar. He said even a little post-meal movement can help and called regular exercise an “obvious” healthy practice.

Fox News - LaValle said chronic stress can contribute to insulin resistance. He described long workdays and limited food choices as obstacles to healthy eating and exercise.

Fox News - LaValle said adequate sleep is “huge for glucose regulation”; insufficient rest can skew hormone release and affect insulin regulation.

Fox News - LaValle associated sleep apnea with diabetes, prediabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. He said heightened stress and anxiety can disrupt sleep and glucose regulation.

Fox News - LaValle said inadequate sleep can affect appetite and eating behavior; people may eat more, gain weight, and move less.

WHERE:

Fox News - LaValle is based in Texas.

WHY:

Fox News - Insulin normally moves glucose from the bloodstream into muscle cells, where it can be stored as glycogen for later use.

Fox News - LaValle said naturally elevated morning cortisol may affect blood sugar, which informs his recommendation for a higher-protein breakfast.

HOW:

Fox News - LaValle said blood sugar regulation can be affected by diet, exercise, stress and sleep, including post-meal movement and monitoring glucose responses to different foods.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 18:02 UTC)

Frequent or prolonged blood sugar spikes and drops can contribute to health complications, and Texas-based clinical pharmacist Jim LaValle says everyday habits involving food, exercise, stress and sleep can affect glucose levels. He recommends tracking blood sugar after meals to see how different foods affect you, choosing a higher-protein breakfast and limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates. LaValle also suggests taking a 10-minute walk after eating, managing stress and getting adequate sleep, which he says is important for glucose regulation.