Weight Loss and Hypoglycemia
Do you feel tired run down or depressed for no apparent reason?
In many cases, problems regulating the supply of sugar to your brain and body cells may be the cause. All cells in the body burn the sugar glucose for energy, similar to the way engines burn gasoline. Reducing the supply of glucose to your brain cells can cause poor alertness, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, and even confusion, loss of memory and emotional depression.
Blood sugar levels can drop for various reasons, producing a variety of symptoms.
One of the most common causes is the frequent use of sugar rich foods and beverages in a person’s diet. Sugar in the diet is rapidly absorbed from the gut, causing blood sugar to rise. The body tries to regulate blood sugar by holding it within a normal range, neither too high or too low. The pancreas, for instance, produces insulin to bring the glucose level back down after a sugary meal or snack.
What happens when sugar is consumed on a regular basis?
The body often over compensates for the frequent rises in blood sugar — bringing its levels down lower than it was beforehand. These lowered sugar levels make a person feel hungry, or crave more sweets. Taking that sugar rich snack provides a lift only temporarily, and leaves one feeling drained or tired again shortly afterward.
People caught in this vicious cycle may experience weakness, shakiness or trembling if they go too long without eating. In addition to mental fatigue or depression, they may have periods of lightheadedness, coldness of the hands and feet, or a variety of other mental or physical symptoms. These are usually relieved temporarily by eating. Sound familiar? If you have experienced this type of problem, you may find relief by following a few simple dietary guidelines.
What do I do now?
First:
- Stop eating sugar rich foods and beverages. It is easy to spot sugar in the diet for someone who adds it to their coffee, tea or morning cereal. However, many other foods contain already added sugar, such as pastries, candy, cookies, soda, ice cream, canned fruit, jams and jellies.
- Reading labels will help spot these sources. (Corn syrup, dextrose, and sucrose are often used on labels in place of “sugar”, but they mean the same thing.)
Many people don’t realize that “natural” sugars can produce identical problems. Honey, dried fruit such as raisins and dates, and fruit juices are also highly sugar rich. Brown sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, turbinado and overt sugars fall in the same category. Some people may even have trouble with sweet potatoes, bananas, and other naturally sweet tasting foods.
Second:
- It may be necessary for you to eat snacks between meals to maintain adequate energy or alertness.
Third:
- You will probably feet better if you include some foods rich in protein and/or starch at most meals and snacks. Unlike sugar-rich foods, these provide a “time-released” source of sugar, yielding their glucose slowly and steadily, thereby helping to avoid the “peaks and valleys” of poor blood sugar regulation.
Foods such as eggs, fish and meats are protein rich. So are some types of cheese (like cottage cheese), nuts and seeds, and combinations of various beans and grains. Starch rich foods include whole grains, cereals, and starchy vegetables, such as whole grain breads, crackers, potatoes and squash.
What influences blood glucose levels?
Many factors besides sweets in the diet influence blood sugar levels. Certain nutrients are also helpful in regulating blood sugar. The mineral chromium, is particularly important for the proper utilization of insulin. Brewer’s yeast, whole grains, beans and meat are the best food sources of this mineral. Dietary supplements including chromium may be indicated for some people with blood glucose concerns. Each individual is different, and health problems should be considered on an individual basis, whether or not professional treatment is required.
However, the three general guidelines we’ve discussed have helped many people to reclaim their lost energy and vitality. In following these guidelines, you may feel worse for a couple of weeks before you begin to feel much better. After a few months or so, you may be able to add moderate amounts of sweets back into your diet without producing the same old symptoms. Patience and consistency bring healthy rewards.
Dr. Justin Hoffman offers his weight loss programs to the following areas in Sonoma County: Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, and more. If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Hoffman’s weight loss programs and hCG Diet Programs, please click here, or call 707-292-8882
Dr. Hoffman offers appointments in Santa Rosa out of Tru Health Medicine and the Hoffman Medical Group – Santa Rosa’s premier center for integrative medicine and advanced alternative medicine.