🌟[TT] Sweet Spot 🧠

Hello, my lovely Thursday Tips Tribe a.k.a. T3 (can I call you that? 😀), I hope you had a restful and joyful year-end celebration, and are looking forward to 2026!

For me, 2026 started off in the most wonderful way: I was interviewed by A-Level Student, Sophia, for her EPQ project!

I loved the interview by Sophia so much. She reached out after reading my book Sweet Spot for Brain Health.

Sophia asked the most erudite questions.

Talking with her reminded me of my mission here with Thursday Tips [TT], my books, and my recent venture into YouTube, which is to empower you for better brain health and wellbeing.

I started this journey of creating public-facing content because I realised that if the lifestyle tips I shared with people in my clinic consultations had been implemented before they met me, they could have avoided getting sick or been less severely affected.

That is what drives me with this mission, to make a positive impact.

So today’s [TT] post will be a bit different, inspired by Sophia!

I’d like to share the gist of 3 questions she asked, that I thought may be helpful:

Just before that, a bit of background on why I wrote Sweet Spot for Brain Health.

This book is about how we manage our blood sugar levels for optimal brain energy and metabolic health. It’s about individualiation (not abstinence, though that can be a personal choice), and practical tips.

Here are 3 questions inspired by Sophia’s interview:

1. What do you mean by neuroinflammation mentioned in your book?

High blood sugar can affect the blood-brain barrier.

The blood brain barrier is like a “bouncer” of a nightclub!

It selectively lets in elements into the brain, allowing a separation between what circulates in the body’s bloodstream and what circulates in the brain’s bloodstream.

In situation of blood sugar imbalance such as higher-than-optimal blood sugar (e.g. insulin resistance) the blood-brain barrier can get “leaky”, leading to low levels of inflammation.

Also, if blood sugar levels are high it can cause the development of more free radicals as part of oxidative stress (a natural by-product of energy production) and inflammation.

2. Who gets high blood sugar problems?

This tends to affect people in mid-life, but sadly this is occurring more in younger people.

There is a rise in obesity and insulin resistance in childhood and young adults, likely influenced by lifestyle factors including access to ultra-processed foods and being sedentary.

3. How common is the opposite problem, i.e. low blood sugar?

Persistent low blood sugar is unusual as the body is incredibly good at correcting it.

When blood sugar drops to very low levels, the body releases blood sugar stored in the liver and muscles.

Sometimes low blood sugar dips can occur briefly and may be picked up by continuous blood glucose monitors, e.g., when a sharp sugar spike (e.g., from a high-sugar/starchy food) leads to a brief crash in blood sugar before returning to a normal level.

This brief crash in blood sugar is something I’ve seen contribute to brain fog and migraines.

Fun fact: I first noticed this about 15 years ago in a patient who was sceptical about snack/food changes for improving migraines. After implementing my recommendations, he was amazed by the improvements he saw! I’ve since seen this often in my migraine patients, which improves when we manage their nutrition and metabolic health.

3 Quick Tips for Blood Sugar Balance

1. Eat your leafy veg first

Starting meals with fibre-rich vegetables slows glucose absorption and reduces blood sugar spikes.

2. Take 10min walks after meals

Light movement helps muscles use glucose directly, preventing sharp rises.

3. Pair carbs with protein or healthy fats

Combine carb-rich foods with protein or healthy fats, e.g. add nuts to fruit, or hummus to crackers for steadier energy.

I hope these 3 questions inspire you to start considering what you can do to stabilise your blood sugar. I shared practical tips in past [TT] posts on 16/10/25, 9/10/25, and 12/9/24 – long-term subscribers can search [TT], or you can find this in my blog, where I keep my past posts: drsuiwongmd.blog

If you think it’d be helpful for me to write more about blood sugar balance tips for next week’s [TT], or create a free resource/checklist, please reply to this email and let me know! Thank you.

Wishing you fun facts and blood sugar balance,

Dr Sui Wong

References:

Wong (2024) books2read.com/u/br2l8z

Rom et al (2019) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29974394/

Banks (2020) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32209037/

WHO(2025) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

PS – to my regular T3 folks 😉 you may notice that I removed the emojis from the post above.

What do you think? I included emojis when I started the newsletter, thinking it would help break up the page and make it more readable on mobile phones. But someone said it felt a bit distracting. Could you please help me by replying to this email, and let me know if emojis make a good/bad/indifferent reading experience for you? Thank you in advance for sharing your feedback with me!

PPS – If you wish to learn more about Sweet Spot for Brain Health, click here: https://books2read.com/u/br2l8z Available where all good books are sold, in print, audiobook and Kindle Unlimited.

If you’ve read this, I’d be so grateful for a review as it helps extend the positive reach of this book.

You can leave a review on Good Reads, LINK:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220651964-sweet-spot-for…

Or on Amazon if you purchased it from there. Thank you again, for supporting my mission of empowering people for better brain health and wellbeing!

Spread the love! Share this post with someone who will enjoy my Thursday Tips [TT] newsletter.

If you received this as a forwarded link, please sign up to the [TT] newsletter via bit.ly/drwongbrainhealth

INSTAGRAM: drsuiwong.neurologist | LINKED IN: linkedin.com/in/dr-sui-wong-neurologist

My mission here is to share good quality, actionable information that empowers people to improve their brain health and wellbeing.

Thank you for your support!

FAQ

Q1: How does blood sugar affect brain health?
Blood sugar provides fuel for the brain. Large spikes and crashes can affect focus, mood, and mental clarity, while steadier levels support consistent brain energy.

Q2: What is neuroinflammation in simple terms?
Neuroinflammation refers to low-grade inflammation in the brain, which can be influenced by factors such as blood sugar imbalance, oxidative stress, and lifestyle habits.

Q3: Can small lifestyle changes really help brain energy?
Yes. Simple actions like walking after meals, pairing carbohydrates with protein, and starting meals with fibre can support steadier blood sugar and clearer thinking.

Summary

Blood sugar plays a central role in brain energy and metabolic health. When levels rise and fall sharply, this can contribute to brain fog, reduced focus, and symptoms such as migraines. Steadier blood sugar supports the brain’s energy demands, helps limit inflammatory processes, and supports cognitive function over time. Simple, practical habits like balanced meals, gentle movement, and timing food choices can help maintain stability and support long-term brain health.

Search

Search