Do you feel drowsy after eating?

If you feel drowsy and lacking energy after eating, it is very likely you have hypoglycemia. It is likely you have eaten a meal that is too high in carbohyrdates and not balanced with protein and fat.

Here is an email I recently received from someone with exactly this feeling ... and then you will see my answers to her questions below.

Question: "Thank you for your web site! I took the quiz and scored in the 'normal' range. I found your web site after searching for some information about feeling drowsy after eating. In short, I had a bowl of cold cereal this morning (1 1/2 cups) that totalled almost 68 grams of carboyhydrate. Instead of using milk on the cereal I poured 4 oz of pear juice (no sugar added) and added a teaspoon of sugar and some ground cinnamon and one egg white. I then microwaved the cereal long enough to cook the egg white. Truly, it sounds gross but is delicious - BUT - within moments I experienced a rapid heart rate, was drowsy and had a headache and went from being totally energetic to flat.

I am a 41 year old female (5'6" and 108 lbs) and a runner. I need carbs for fuel but have noticed that this happens after eating this particular cereal breakfast. I see my physician annually and my fasting blood sugar is always around 75-77 (even with both pregnancies and HUGE weight gains). A GTT done during both pregnancies was also fine. My question (and I know you are NOT a doctor) - can a carb-heavy meal make a person feel like that? That was truly my only positive answer on the hypoglycemia quiz but I truly would like to NOT ever feel like this again. It has taken the wind out of my sails for the day !

My Answer:

Thank you for your email. What you have just described is a classic example of low blood sugar caused by eating too much carbohydrate and not balancing it with protein and fat. I feel really sad that so many people are still eating high carbohydrate, low fat diets. I used to do the same myself (and felt terrible, just like you) because all the experts seemed to recommend low fat and high carbohydrate, particularly for runners. (I used to be a runner also).

I used to eat a low fat lunch and feel drowsy in the afternoon. One day I decided to try something radical. I had a sandwich with wholegrain bread and plastered it with butter, and put a thick slab of cheese in the middle. In addition, I drank a glass of whole milk. I felt great and had so much energy during the afternoon, I couldn’t believe it. Then I tried eating quiche for lunch. Again, I felt great. Now, I always have some protein and fat with every meal … and I have plenty of energy. I am 51 years old and I still weigh the same as when I was 21. The reason is, I eat very little sugar. It is sugar (and all carbohydrates, that cause weight gain, not fat). Why do you think they feed cattle with grains to fatten them up?

The truth is, low fat, high carbohydrate diets are not good for everyone. You need some protein and fat to slow down the absorption of the carbohydrate, so you don’t get a sudden rush of sugar, followed by a slump.

Don’t worry about any adverse effects from eating butter, cheese, whole milk, eggs etc. People have eaten these for centuries with no ill effects. It is sugar that is the cause of heart disease and other illnesses, not healthy, natural fats, which we actually need.

I hope this has helped you. Most of the so called experts are scientists who have never actually suffered from low blood sugar. I have found out what works from personal experience (and from reading books by people who really know what they are talking about, rather than the stuff that gets in the media, which is most rubbish). As a general rule, don’t get your information from the media, particularly magazines.

I hope this has been helpful. Let me know if you change your diet along the lines I suggest. I guarantee you’ll feel so much better, you won’t believe it.

Follow up question:

My husband and I took a moment to read your e-mail - SO informative ! To be honest, I have knowledge of diet/nutrition but have struggled with 'balanced' meals my entire life - they are either too high in carbs or protein ( and always LOWFAT or even NONFAT !) and I find myself 'bonking' whenever I eat the incorrect mix (which is TOO often !). In fact, I can feel as bad (if not worse) if I eat a totally protein meal. There must be a balance but I just can't figure it out.

I wanted to tell you that 5 years ago I lost 60 pounds on the Weight Watchers program which is very, very low fat. The obligatory 2 tsp of olive a day they recommend doesn't always cut it. This, along with aging, has led me to really examine this part of my life. I am tired of not feeling 100% ! I am a busy mom, a business owner and very active in my church and social life. I am not doing anyone any good dragging through the day.

What are your feeling on the following foods and how they fit into this way of eating:
- sweet potatoes/yams
- coffee
- bread (obviously HIGH fiber)
- slow cooked oatmeal
- any other favorites you use ? I know that I will have to find what works for MY body but perhaps you could give me an idea. I have a problem eating dairy foods (butter is not a problem though) and do not favor junk foods or even the more starchy vegetables and I NEVER eat fast food !

Also, what books would you recommend I read (or do I need to research this further ?).

My answer:

You can lose weight on a very low fat diet, but it doesn’t do your health any good in the long run. Eventually, you get hypoglycemia from the unbalanced emphasis on carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the weight loss programmes don’t tell you this. Also, you get very hungry and constantly craving food on a low fat diet. You never feel satisfied.

High protein diets (like Atkins) are not good either. You need some carbohydrates. That’s why in the old days they used to recommend a balanced diet … and people were generally healthy on this.

Sweet potatoes/yams are okay as part of meal that includes protein and fat … so is bread, oatmeal (put full cream milk on oatmeal or you will get hypoglycemia). Coffee can cause hypoglycemia if you drink it on its own, without food. Always eat something when you have coffee.I can’t really recommend any books off the top of my head. All my knowledge has come from trial and error plus a mixture of a whole lot of different books. I’ve studied virtually every diet theory under the sun … most of them are unbalanced in some way. If anyone wrote a book about eating a balanced diet, they would not sell many copies, as no one wants to read that. People are always looking for some new theory.

Any books on the French diet are good. There are one or two around at the moment.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes

Chris