To be clear, I made up the term “Honey Blood.” It’s the exact same thing as blood sugar. I just wanted to talk about it in a new way since everyone seems to go comatose when they read “blood sugar control.” Come on, I know you were about to tune out too ;)

Honey Blood Test sounds way cooler, admit it! The Honey Blood Test, then, is a short term, low-carb approach to check your way-too-high blood-sugar (i.e. honey blood), which produces internal chaos in the form of systemic, brutal inflammation and hormonal disruption.

But what is blood sugar anyways, this nebulous phrase we hear so much and always tune out? And how to excess carbs contribute to it?  Here’s an excerpt from my book with a great visual of how honey-blood manifests as symptoms, and what the heck it is: PS, I will henceforth swap out blood-sugar for “honey blood” to keep you alert :)

“It’s probably 9 or 10am, you’re at work (or school) and you’re huuuuungry. You have a few hours until lunch so gobble a quick cereal bar. Omg, now it’s 11am and you’re starving again?! Lunch is so close but so far, how about some chips. Lunch comes, you’re not that hungry because you snacked, so you eat half your lunch - but now it’s 2pm and you’re tired and hangry (hungry + angry) so you opt for a coffee … plus a little snack. Come dinner and a small amount fills you up so that you definitely need a sweet treat from the freezer around 8. Phew, what a hungry day! This, ladies, is a textbook example of [honey blood chaos], and boy does it cause internal chaos. 

To better understand what [honey blood] really is, let’s do a little visual: Imagine  blood. There. See how sticky it is? That stickiness is [honey]! Congratulations, you’ve met your [honey blood], and your body needs to keep that honey at moderately-low levels. If there’s too much your blood turns to [honey and inflammation ensues}, too little and your cells starve, which is exactly why this system keeps our blood sugar levels steady no matter what you eat. It’s an incredible system.”

Why honey blood issues are so rampant is that we’ve never had access to so many carbohydrates 24/7, whether it’s the processed-refined varieties or what we think of as healthy foods such as grains, juices, beans, potatoes, or fruit. If these carby foods supplement your diet, there’s usually little to no problem, but when they’re the foundation of your diet - as they are for so many of us - they spike honey in your blood, turning it from the blood-of-life to a river-of-inflammation.

It’s the reason 1 in 2 people in Hawai`i (and 1 in 3 nation-wide) have diabetes or pre-diabetes, that’s a lot of people!!! And like endometriosis, once diabetes arrives, it’s here to stay - and be managed - for the rest of your life. Not fun.

How does high blood sugar affect endometriosis?

Maybe your symptoms are exhaustion or bloating. Or you feel hungry all. the. time., need snacks or you might die, get hangry (hungry + angry), have hypoglycemia, can’t imagine a single day without a sweet ingredient (even if it’s ketchup) or starch or alcohol, afternoon fatigue, often wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, stubborn acne, or systemic inflammation - ahem, like endometriosis or PCOS - then you should be considering as you read.

Truthfully, honey blood is the Endo Elephant in the room - something that contributes dramatically to endometriosis and inflammation symptoms. I wrote a whole science-nerdy post on that here.

What I’ve found in my practice when working with endo-ladies to bring their carb-load dowwwwwwwn is more energy (maybe even much more!!), less brain fog, less of that way-too-stress-for-no-reason feeling, clearer skin, less bloating, and even less cyclic pain throughout the month.

This approach alone has even helped a handful of endo-ladies I’ve worked with, two with very long-standing infertility issues, to get pregnant without any other shifts at all. That’s how much insulin resistance and honey blood issues can affect some ladies’ bodies. Really.

And, if you deal with stubborn weight that doesn’t b.u.d.g.e., you may expect to lose some weight and keep it off for good. A win-win for health, and physique :)

How balancing blood sugar helps

This test is not a traditional “diet” but more about investigation! It allows you to uncover the best amount of carbs for YOU!

To do so, you greatly restrict carbs off the bat for 2-4 weeks. This means you remove all carbohydrate-rich foods. Think processed food favorites such as breads, pastas, sweets, and most of your favorite condiments, but also healthy carb options like grains, beans, potatoes, milk/yoghurt, and fruit. If you’re in Hawaii `ulu and taro would also be omitted.

The focus is now on tons of low-starch veggies like broccoli, leafy greens, green beans, and squash (vegetables will make up the bulk of your diet here), plus animal proteins and ancestral fats. Think a veggie + egg frittata for breakfast, a delicious salad with salmon for lunch, and baked spaghetti squash with a veggie + beef Bolognese. Or sausage + veggies in the morning, a bun-less burger with a vibrant side salad for lunch, and bone broth stew with cauliflower rice for dinner.

For the endo population, I work with, I also use this as a time to eliminate dairy that’s often a staple on low-carb diets, such as heavy cream and cheeses. Focus instead on getting your 7-10 cups of low starch veggies, healthy grass-fed or pastured animal products for protein, plus ancestral fats.

I’m not going to lie, the first few days will be hard

What Will I Uncover About my Endometriosis?

After 2-4 weeks we usually find out a lot! You may find cravings have vanished (which you deemed impossible), PMS gone, hypoglycemia a thing of the past. This is the type of balance we’re after, and often why women think they need to stay super low carb forever, because they feel great.

Why would you want to increase carbs if you feel fantastic on the Honey Blood test? Because you probably tolerate more carbs than you realize and feel just as fantastic with a few servings of more carb-rich options per day, all without feeling deprived after a few months. Deprivation leads to binging on cake, feeling like a failure, and starting to yo-yo diet a keto diet with pastries and beer. Catching what I’m throwing? Carbs aren’t the enemy, it’s just that too many are, so the TEST is about finding your beautiful threshold.

Conversely, you may feel after 2-4 weeks like you need more energy, feel sluggish, or like your digestion needs a break. This means you will probably do well with more carbs in your life, and it is proof how a super-low-carb diet is NOT the cure-all for all.

Can you show me ideas of what I can eat on the test??

Yup! If you want to see a PINTEREST page I made with examples, check it out!

Want to do the Endometriosis Honey-Blood Test at home? I have a worksheet for you!

For anyone passionate about getting started, I wrote up the specific directions in my Heal Endo Honey Blood Home Test, available in the Shop. This worksheet includes what’s allowed on the 3 phases (because some of you will want an initial phase to slowly get you used to lowering your honey-blood before the big test), how to approach reintroductions, food lists, recipe ideas, a symptom tracker, and more. I only charge $6 for it (same price as a fancy matcha latte) so that you feel committed to doing it, rather than getting a free-bee that you never feel fully motivated to do. Come on, do it, I dare you ;)

Note: This is not a keto diet

The difference between the ketogenic diet and the honey blood approach I use is the amount of carbs allowed - keto diets are way lower in carbs than the Honey Blood Test.

In a keto approach, you’re going to be axing your carbs to an all time low of 30-50 g per day - depending on your body - to stay in ketosis (a pseudo-starvation state where your body burns fat over carbs). To keep that amount so low I see many women eating a lot of meat + fat, and very few veggies at all. Remember, the Heal Endo approach is vegetable-based in order to start healing the damaged gut microbiome you have, so few veggies = no help. And since even low-carb veggies still have carbs (yup), you may easily be going over your 20-30g allotment if you aim to eat the 7-10 cups veggies I recommend, even if they’re low-carb varieties. 

To think about it in a Sugar-Way, here is an example of the heck I’m talking about.

• A Standard American Diet consumed the equivalent of about 1 cup sugar per day, mainly in the forms of low-fiber carbs like processed bread, pastas, rice, etc! The blood is thick with it. Ouch inflammation.

• A Moderate Carb approach is half that - around 1/2 cup sugars per day, although if you do it the Heal Endo way those carbs are in the form of fresh veggies and perhaps moderate amounts of fruit, beans, or grains, and many women will feel really good here for balanced hormones, stress levels, etc. 

• A Low Carb approach is usually agreed on anything below the 100-150 mark. If you deal with insulin resistance, PCOS, hypoglycemia, etc, you may feel best in this zone between 75-100g/day. This still allows you tons of low-starch veggies and a little bit of fruit :)

• Keto is person dependent, but you may not hit ketosis (measured on pee-strips) until you reach 50, 30, or even 20 g of carbs per day, depending on your body. This is really really low, and why it may be considered a long-term medical diet in some extreme cases like autism or certain neurological diseases, but otherwise why I like to avoid this extreme and aim for the Low-Carb approach to start, per above.

Endometriosis Diet HELP | Done low carb before and felt yuck? Maybe this will help

I felt sick! Carb flu is real, so if you’re addicted to starches, you may feel run down, headachy, and awful the first few days. This is where a slow reduction of carbs can really help, rather than going cold turkey. Conversely, if your symptoms don’t improve after a few days, there could be real digestive reasons you feel sick. If you have a stomach acid (HCL) deficiency, you may not be able to digest protein properly. Or if you’re improperly digesting fat, increasing the amount you eat can make you feel nauseous and icky. If this is you, check out my endo-belly ebook, where I talk you through HCL supplementation, fat digestion, and more.

I felt gross, way too much protein and fat! Then you may be approaching this like Atkins rather than “vegetarian plus protein.” Think big salads with 3-4 oz chicken thigh, a 3-4 oz burger patty with roasted cauliflower, and steamed green beans. Lighten your protein and fat, don’t make “fat bomb” recipes, and focus on veggies instead. Eat the color of the rainbow.

I felt faint: If you’re doing intense exercise at the same time you axe carbs, your body may be looking for a fuel that isn’t there, leading to faintness. Conversely, excess stress can do the same thing. I recommend approaching the restrictive 2-4 weeks with a cleanse-like attitude. Walk instead of HITT, keep your heart rate in your fat burning zone if you exercise, and limit all other stresses as much as possible. Time for reading, journaling, hiking, playing with loved ones, and laughing. Also, double-check to be sure you’re drinking enough water and eating enough sea salt.

I couldn’t do it for longer than a month: You shouldn’t have to! If you’re an active woman, have digestive insufficiencies, or have lots of unchecked stress, staying in a restricted carb state won’t benefit you. Remember, this is why we reintroduce carbs, so if you’re suffering after 2 weeks, start the reintroduction process asap so you don’t end up binging in a hopeless heap :) You may do a lot better in the moderate-carb range I mentioned above.

Help! I’m stuck on a low-carb diet! Conversely, you may have done a low-carb diet but find your carb tolerance (ability to tolerate carbs) is non-existent. You may feel super bloated, jittery, or even exhausted by eating just a bit of carb-rich foods. If this is you, I highly recommend working with a professional to get further testing. Bloat with carbs may mean a significant dysbiosis trend you need antimicrobials for. Energy issues may be related to deficiencies in minerals like chromium or adrenal issues that need TLC. The cool thing is, once you address underlying health issues, you often will be able to tolerate many more carbs and get your life balance back. You should never be stuck on a therapeutic diet.

How do I do this if I’m vegetarian or vegan? If you don’t eat red meat, you can easily focus on fish, chicken, and eggs. If you don’t eat any animal products, I recommend the book Keto-Tarian, written by a former vegan who now incorporates choice animal products plus lots of fat into his diet after realizing he was killing himself from the vegan honey blood rollercoaster that’s so rampant. Consider being open to change for the sake of progress, even if it’s just for a few weeks so you can better understand your symptoms.

***there are more FAQ’s and advice in my Honey Blood Test Guide, check it out!