If you get jittery when you haven’t eaten in awhile, you may have hypoglycemia. Many people think of hypoglycemia as the opposite of diabetes, but this is not true. With diabetes, there is a deficiency of insulin; in hypoglycemia, excess insulin is produced. If this process continues, the pancreas may become exhausted, lose its ability to produce insulin, and diabetes may occur.
Some of the symptoms of hypoglycemia include allergies, appetite fluctuation (such as ravenous hunger to no appetite, feeling hungry after a meal), depression, dizziness, fatigue, food cravings, headaches, hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, and waking up exhausted after a full night’s sleep. Consulting with a qualified health professional to get a glucose tolerance test should help give you a clearer idea of what you are dealing with. In order to treat hypoglycemia, the pancreas needs to be re-educated and the adrenal glands strengthened. These natural cures can help.
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Foods that inhibit thyroid function include millet, peanuts, and soybeans. Eating large amounts of foods in the Brassicaceae family, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, rutabaga, turnips, and Brussels sprouts, inhibits the uptake of iodine, a necessary nutrient. However, consuming plenty of mineral-rich sea vegetables makes this concern less. The thyroid gland becomes damaged by excessive consumption of caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, all of which stimulate pituitary activity and damage its ability to produce the necessary hormones that activate thyroid function. Fluoridated water can also inhibit thyroid function.
SUPPLEMENTS TO BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
If you have hypoglycemia, important nutrients include B complex (50 to 100 mg), magnesium (500 mg), and zinc (15 mg), all given in daily doses. Research published in the medical journal, Metabolism (1987) has also shown that taking 200 mcg of chromium (as chromium chloride) twice daily for three months improves hypoglycemia symptoms. If any of these are deficient it can make one more predisposed to hypoglycemia. As a bonus, chromium reduces the craving for sugar.
GOOD TO KNOW!
A simple test called the Barnes Basal Temperature Test checks thyroid function. Refrain from drinking alcohol that night. Before bed, shake down a thermometer and place it by your bed. In the morning, put the thermometer firmly in the armpit and rest for 10 minutes. A normal resting reading will be 97.8°F. (37°C). Repeat the next day. If it is lower than that, you may have an underactive thyroid. Women should do this after their menses is complete, as temperature levels will fluctuate more during this time.
BEST FOODS TO BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
Folklore for improving hypoglycemia is to eat small frequent meals. It is also important to consume complex carbohydrates such as potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, and winter squash rather than refined grains. Avocados help to suppress excess insulin production. Also enjoy lots of cooked high-fiber vegetables, such as asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, green leafy vegetables, kohlrabi, and string beans, which nourish the pancreas and increase the fluids in the body. Snap beans are very alkaline (note: the green beans are more nutritious than the yellow ones). They are rich in beta-carotene, B complex, calcium, and potassium. Sea vegetables improve the entire glandular system.
It is important to have some protein at every meal. Whole grains such as barley, wild rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, black beans, and tahini are good protein sources. Almonds and hazelnuts also make good protein-rich snacks. High-protein super foods include spirulina, blue-green algae, and chlorella. Nutritional yeast, rich in protein, chromium, and B vitamins, is a blessing for hypoglycemics, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Moderate amounts of fresh fruit that is not excessively sweet, such as tart apples, papaya, and strawberries, may be enjoyed. If a sweetener is desired, consider stevia, which stabilizes blood sugar levels in hypoglycemic people. On occasion, moderate amounts of barley malt or brown rice syrup can also be used as sweeteners.
BEST BEHAVIORS TO BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
Learn to manage your stress. You’ll find benefits in yoga, meditation, relaxation tapes, or stress management programs. Erratic blood sugar levels can contribute to erratic moods. Find multiple ways to get grounded.
Pay attention to underlying cravings for sweetness and gratification in life.
Look at any unexpressed feelings that leave one bitter, overburdened, and hopeless, which are said to correspond to blood sugar problems.
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Eliminating refined sugars and grains (such as white rice, white bread, and other white flour products) is essential. Refined grains are too rapidly absorbed. Fruit juices as well as sweet vegetable (carrot and beet) juices should not be consumed; they are too sweet, lack the fiber of whole food, and tend to overstimulate the pancreas. Dried fruit, dates, grapes, artificial sweeteners, and honey are also too concentrated if you are hypoglycemic. Heavily salted foods can cause insulin overreactions.
GOOD TO KNOW!
A diet that is rich in sweets and lacking in fiber sets us up for the blood sugar blues. When blood sugar levels elevate too fast due to glucose overload, the pancreas “panics” and over-secretes insulin, which then causes the blood sugar level to drop very low. At this point, we are likely to crave another sweet fix and begin the cycle over again. As this is repeated, the pancreas becomes hypersensitive. Overusing stimulants also contributes to hypoglycemia, as this raises blood sugar levels by over-stimulating the adrenal glands. This causes a flight or fight reaction, causing insulin to be released. After years of this process, the adrenal glands become exhausted and unable to function properly. Heredity can also be a factor in hypoglycemia. Allergies can also cause stress on the body and can be exhausting to the adrenal glands.
WHEN TO SEE YOUR M.D.
Hypoglycemia should not be taken lightly. If it persists, it weakens the body and can be a factor in many other disorders. So pay attention when your body speaks. Walk in balance!
This Hypoglycemia Treatment article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
