Diet
and Low Blood Sugar
A
low level of glucose (sugar) in our bloodstream
can create problems that mimic psychological or
mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, an
inability to concentrate, or to "think
straight." This is because glucose is one of
the main nutrients that brain cells depend on to
function properly. The brain is literally starved
when the level of sugar drops significantly, and
the impact can be severe. The level of sugar can
be affected by the types of food we eat. Too many
sweets, and any form of refined sugar, is quickly
converted to glucose. To counter an overload of
glucose, the body secretes insulin, whose main
function is to regulate the blood sugar level. It
becomes a catch-22 situation: we need glucose,
but if too much is consumed in the form of sugar,
insulin goes to work overtime, along with
adrenaline, and will pull significant amounts of
glucose from the bloodstream, resulting in
additional symptoms such as lightheadedness,
fatigue, nervousness, and a sense of weakness.
I
was diagnosed with low blood sugar many years
before I had pemphigus, and put on a high protein
diet, with strict prohibitions against consuming
refined sugars, alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine. I
was told to eat 6 small meals a day, rather than
my usual 3. The diet emphasized 4 oz of protein
at each of the 3 main meals, with protein snacks
in-between (cheese, nuts, milk, etc.). The list
of fruits and vegetables was almost unlimited,
but I was allowed no more than one slice of whole
wheat bread at each meal. It took about 3 weeks
to recognize the effectiveness of this diet, and
I have more or less followed it ever since.
The
thing about low blood sugar is that it can occur
in anyone. Most doctors rely on a simple blood
test (a single sample) to determine the blood
sugar level, but in the "old days," a
6-hour glucose tolerance test was administered. A
quart or more of liquified sugar was consumed on
an empty stomach, blood samples were taken prior
to the test to determine a fasting level, and
again at the half-hour, and then every hour after
that until the final sample was drawn. The level
of sugar in the blood was laid out on a graph. In
my case, the level rose very quickly in the first
hour, and then plummeted by mid-morning, before
beginning to slowly rise again. The low point
corresponded with my symptoms, matched those
above, and confirmed a diagnosis of low blood
sugar.
If
you feel that these symptoms also apply to you,
the best way to determine whether or not you have
low blood sugar is to follow a low blood sugar
diet for several weeks. It is a lot less
expensive than anti-anxiety drugs,
anti-depressants, sleep medications, or other
drugs, and there are no side effects. If low
blood sugar is at fault, it is the simplest and
safest way to correct the problem.
The
low blood sugar diet might also be helpful as a
means of controlling blood sugar levels while on
prednisone. The theory behind avoiding refined
sugars, such as candy, cakes, ice cream, etc., in
favor of more complex carbohydrates found in
fresh fruit and vegetables, is that with a more
complex carbohydrate, the release of glucose into
the bloodstream is not so sudden as to cause an
insulin reaction. It takes longer for complex
carbs, starches, and proteins to be broken down,
so the rise and fall of sugar in the blood is not
as dramatic as it is when we eat a lot of sweets.
Sticking to the diet over time can help level the
amount of sugar in the blood during the day, and
actually eliminate or greatly reduce the symptoms
related to a low blood sugar condition. This is
especially true of fatigue, irritability, an
inability to concentrate, anxiety, and most of
the other symptoms.
You
don't hear the term "low blood sugar"
much these days, but back in the 70's, it was
considered responsible for a high percentage of
problems, and was one of the first things checked
in cases of anxiety, depression, low energy,
alcoholism, etc. Our diets haven't changed much
since then, but the emphasis for treatment has
shifted dramatically towards drugs, rather than
dietary changes, as a means of treating these
conditions. My feeling is that we have more
control over how we feel than we think, and some
of the forgotten "old school" remedies
are not only just as effective, but they don't
burden the body with drug-related side effects.
When I had pemphigus, the low blood sugar diet
had become such a natural part of my eating
habits that in talking about my remission, I
never thought to mention it. It could have been
one of the reasons why I never developed
prednisone-induced diabetes, and kept my sanity
throughout the experience.
You
can find more information on the web about low
blood sugar by typing "hypoglycemia"
into your browser. A fairly detailed description,
and a good souce of information about the diet
can be found at:
http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtot19.htm
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