Most of us know that our bodies create insulin to handle the sugary treats we eat. And most of us know we get diabetes if our insulin can't get the job done.
What few of us know is what happens when insulin does its job too well. It's hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, and it's the pits. I've been there and done that, and there's nothing I can say to recommend it.
Here's what happens: You eat some kind of starch, which your body converts to sugar. Your pancreas says, "You want insulin, do ya? Well, take this!" and dumps out way more insulin than you need.
At first, you feel fine. Maybe even get a little energy boost from what you ate. An hour or so later, though, you feel like a truck hit you. Tired like you can't believe. Brain asleep for the duration. Feeling as energetic as a wet noodle. To top it all off, you may even pass out. And the wipe-out lasts for six to eight hours.
What causes hypoglycemia?
? A high-carb diet-lots of bread, pasta, bagels, desserts-a pretty standard diet nowadays
? Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Not giving our bodies the ammunition they need to fight the good fight takes us down a lot of dead ends, including hypoglycemia.
? Alcohol. Our bodies see alcohol as a poison-and a high-carb poison at that.
? Prescription drugs such as those given to treat infections.
? But most of all, endocrine problems. If your thyroid and/or adrenal glands get in a tizzy, you're kind of a sitting duck. That's how I ended up in hypoglycemic hell.
Testing for hypoglycemia:
Diagnosis comes via a fasting-blood-sugar test. First thing in the morning, after fasting for at least twelve hours, you give a blood sample, then chug down a big glass of what tasted to me like some vile kind of syrup. Then for the next four or six hours, depending on the test ordered, you give regular blood samples so they can track your body's reaction.
Normal blood fasting blood sugar ranges from 80 to 100, although they're monkeying around with the numbers of late. My blood sugar, at its lowest, was 46, so it's no wonder I slept through the whole thing. They roused me enough to stick my arm out for another blood taking as needed, but I don't think World War III could have awakened me.
Fixing hypoglycemia:
? Give up simple carbohydrates and limit all carbohydrates. My doctor put me on a diet of no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate a day-about half a peach, as I remember, if you want to blow the limit all at once.
? Start (or continue) treatment for your thyroid and adrenals.
? Start a good vitamin/mineral program for yourself. The endocrine system pretty much controls what happens in your body, and it's a nutrition hog. Most vitamins and minerals have specific functions in the endocrine system, and you need to help all of that happen.
? Don't fight yourself. Do what you can and get plenty of rest.
A warning:
Some doctors treat hypoglycemia with a recommendation that you eat and drink carbs to "give your body what it needs." Run-do not walk-away from advice like that. Simply put, it's wrong, and guaranteed to make things worse.
Every time your body reacts with too much insulin is a "hypoglycemic event." Research strongly suggests that each hypoglycemic event-which this misguided advice will cause-brings you closer to diabetes, aka hyperglycemia, and all its complications.
Don't go there.
